The Dragon and the Ghost
by ContraBardus
Summary: A fantasy adventure using Ranma 1/2 characters
1. Default Chapter Title

This fanfic came about after watching Dungeons and Dragons, playing Final Fantasy 7, 8, and 9 back to back as well as Chrono Cross, and watching The Slayers, Slayers Next, Slayers Try, Record of Lodoss war, Dragoon ... I think you get the idea. It's Ranma 1/2 set in a fantasy world, using the characters but not the story line. This will replace Ranma Xero, mostly because I went back and read it and was far from satisfied from what I saw. I may do a rewrite of that fic someday, but not for a while.   
The story itself was written to orchestrated music mostly. The D&D soundtrack, All the Star Wars films, The Indiana Jones Trilogy, Escaflowne, Slayers. I could go on for a while, but these are the major musical influences in this tale.  
  
The first part is a bit dark, so you've been warned.   
  
The Dragon Ghost.  
  
Prologue  
  
  
Deep in the mountains near the ancient kingdom of Joketsuko...  
  
He had been running through the dark forest all through the night. Somehow they had found him despite his best efforts over the past few months. Twin moons lit the sky over his head; one a gigantic orb of golden yellow that looked as if it would scrape the mountaintops in it's passing as it slowly rolled across the night sky. The other was a light red, it's orbit much higher in the sky above, and it seemed as small as a mere coin in the starlit night. Mist rolled across the valley as he struggled through the brush, shoving wiry branches out of his way as he passed, somehow not disturbing the young boy who lay sleeping on his back. A small ponytail lay draped across the eight year old's shoulder as he slept.  
  
He looked back at the innocent face of the child and smiled slightly. "Just stay quiet boy, I won't allow them to find us."  
  
Howling pierced the silence of the night as his pursuers closed the ever-shortening gap between them. The pound of horse's hooves floated through the fog towards him and he quickened his desperate pace.  
  
Finally he broke from the thick growth around him and pushed his way into a clearing. He paused with a sudden fear welling up inside him as he saw the valley below him. Various pools of water dotted the land and he swallowed as the mist only allowed a few of them to be seen. "Where?" He turned towards the sounds of his pursuers and moved forward with determination on his features again. Without a moment's thought he vanished into the thick fog.  
  
  
"Blast this cursed fog!" snarled the dark figure as he rode through the forest. He was clad in the black armor of the samurai. A golden mask covered his face and a single gold blade protruded from the front of his helmet curving to almost a foot above his head, the cape across his shoulders was a deep purple and draped down the horses side reaching the animal's knees. In his hand was a long serrated pike that remained tucked under his arm as he rode in search of his prey. His giant jet-black steed wore similar armor as well, and had a great red flag with a black dragon embroidered in its center within a great circle.  
  
All around him men in similar armor, if a little less flamboyant, glanced around nervously as they combed the forest for the man who had eluded them for so long.  
  
Another figure rode up on a reptilian steed that almost looked like a horse itself. A dark power seemed to radiate from him and an arrogant smirk rested on his lips as he turned to face the dark warrior. His long white hair seemed to drape down his back with a splotch of color in his bangs. He was dressed in brown cloak with the hood pulled down. His clothing was expensive looking with a gold and purple woven pattern featuring a coiling dragon, he sported light armor and shoulder guards with teeth like spikes jutting from them.  
  
"This man is elusive, but hardly a threat."  
  
"That is not for us to decide," snapped the armored warrior sternly without giving the man a glance. "The Emperor want's him dead, that is enough for me."  
  
"As you say," commented the man lazily.  
  
The armored figure snorted distastefully. "We must kill him and the boy, he cannot be allowed to live."  
  
"The Emperor's greed knows no bounds, he will see all of them destroyed?" The white haired man seemed almost amused by this. "Conquering them would not be enough it seems."  
  
"Damn you Herb. Don't just sit there! Do something about this blasted fog!" snarled the armored man angrily.  
  
"No. No doubt it hinders him much more than us. He is on foot, with a child in his care. I am not here to give you and your men comfort, merely to see that the job is done. The Emperor does not trust you completely with this task."  
  
"As well he shouldn't," commented the warlord as he rode forward again.  
  
Herb smiled and narrowed his eyes. His pupils slimmed down to two small slits in the center of his golden irises. A small cry of alarm floated out through the air. "We have them!"  
  
  
The fugitive fell onto his face and stumbled onto the ground roughly as his foot caught a root on the mud-covered ground. The boy on his back cried out in alarm as he was thrown from his back and slid across the ground jarring him awake suddenly. The man heard a small splash and struggled to his knees. He crawled forward and pulled the boy's half-submerged body from the small spring where he had landed. The child was shaking with fear, but remained silent.  
  
"Ranma, you must keep silent, the enemy is near!"  
  
"No, the enemy is here Saotome."  
  
Genma turned slowly around and his eyes went wide with terror as he saw the imposing figure standing before him. His eyes searched around for an escape and saw men all around him on horseback.  
  
"I am sorry old friend, it is over. You and your son will die."  
  
"Tendo," growled Genma angrily.  
  
"It is not my wish, but I will allow you to die like a man at least. Stand and face me."  
  
Genma balled his fists up and took up a stance in front of his son's prone form, the boy had passed out again from exhaustion.  
  
"Finish him quickly Tendo," said Herb as he rode up from behind the pair.  
  
"Silence!" commanded Soun as he gave his companion a passing glance.  
  
"You have betrayed me Tendo. We have fought together many times, our children were to be married one day, and now you have betrayed everything we stood for!"  
  
"Genma, when will you understand? I have a family to worry about."  
  
"What do you think that is Soun?" snarled Genma angrily as he pointed back at his son.   
  
"I take no pleasure in your death," said Soun calmly as he rushed forward and thrust his pike forward. It went deep into Genma's belly sending the man to the ground as he screamed in pain. Somehow the words did not make him feel any better. He twisted the spear and backed away leaving it in place. Finally he withdrew a small kodachi from his back and stalked towards the sleeping child. He raised the blade over his head and paused. "What is this?"  
  
He lifted the child up by his neck and stared into his face. After a moment he pulled the loose silk pants down in a single motion and dropped him on the ground with a look of shock on his face. He turned towards his men and screamed in anger.   
  
"This is not Saotome's son!"  
  
Herb dismounted from his steed and frowned. "What are you talking about? Are you trying to betray our Emperor Tendo? To save some part of your so called friend?" He walked over to the child and fell silent, an angry glare fell upon the exposed child's crotch and he snorted. "Clever."  
  
A golden light appeared in his hand and he pulled the spear from Genma's belly before placing his hands on the wound, the man had passed out long before from his injuries. It healed instantly and he stepped away from the fallen man. Soun walked over to his side and frowned.  
  
"Pick him up and bring some rope."  
  
  
Ranma Saotome woke up and shielded his eyes from the light of the sun above him. He glanced around and saw a blue sky. He staggered to his feet and shook off the annoying pain in his head. He felt weak and nauseous. He staggered around for a moment taking in his surroundings. "Where am I? Pop?" After a moment, his vision cleared up and he noticed the pools of water around him, he frowned and noticed his pants were around his ankles and pulled them up allowing himself to walk again. The chutes of some kind of plant rose from the water high into the air above him. He frowned and glanced around in search of his father. He ambled off in a random direction and came to the edge of the spring, drawn by a small murmuring noise that had caught his attention. His eyes went wide with shocked fear at the sight he found.  
  
Between two small scraggly dead trees hung his father. His arms and legs were spread and his old dogi hung off of him in tatters. He was bleeding freely from the hundreds of scars that covered his body and face. It looked as if he had been sliced to pieces almost. The man glanced up painfully and looked at the small child before him from his suspension. "My son."  
  
"Pop!" screamed the boy as he rushed forward and pulled desperately at the ropes.  
  
"No son. I am already dead."  
  
"No Pop! We can get help! Don't leave me!"  
  
"Silence boy!" The words had been meant to sound forceful, but came as a mere whisper. "I am not long for this world, but I have much to tell you."  
  
"Pop?" muttered the boy sadly.  
  
"You have a great destiny boy, never forget that. Inside my gi is a scroll. I want you to take it; it will help you survive to fulfill that destiny. Never forget the art, or your training boy. I will be watching you from the hall of the gods." Genma coughed and a trickle of blood fell from his lips and poured onto the ground. "Listen, never forget what I have taught you my son. Now leave this cursed place boy."  
  
"Pop! Who did this?" screamed the boy as a sudden rage filled him. He stared into his father's eyes pleading with him. All that met him was a dead stare. "Pop? Pop no. No! NOOOOOOOO!"  
  
Ranma Saotome's cries echoed through the valley for many hours after that. He screamed and pleaded with his father's dead body until his throat was raw and he could no longer speak.  
  
  
Herb frowned as he rode along side Soun. "Your friend was far stronger than I had anticipated."  
  
"Genma always was stubborn, and foolish."  
  
Herb turned to face the men. "We've got a lot of work to do. I want every male child in our path dead. Anywhere Saotome could have hidden him!"  
  
Soun looked at him for a moment and said nothing. He slowly turned to face the soldiers and sighed deeply. "You heard him," he said with a sudden icy chill to his voice.  
  
  
As the moons rose into the sky again, Ranma stood before the pile of stones that marked his father's grave and stared at the scroll in his hands. He had been taught to read from the time he uttered his first words, but his father's handwriting made things more difficult despite his age. "Father, I will master this. I will make you proud, and I will avenge your death, as well as mother's." His tears fell to the freshly dug ground and he hung his head as sadness swept over him again, weakening his legs and forcing him down again. After a time he rose from his knees and started walking towards the west.  
  
  
The Dragon Ghost  
  
Part 1  
  
The Horse and the Dragon  
  
  
Eight years later...  
  
Ranma walked through the crowded streets of the large city and smirked to himself as he casually tossed a small bag of coins into the air. He had just lifted the purse off of a well off merchant a few hundred yards back and was feeling quite smug with himself. He paused for a moment and looked towards the sky with a contented smile on his face before continuing on is way.  
  
His clothing was drastically different from that of his youth. The loose black pants were similar enough, but the white shirt and brown leather vest were a drastic change for him that he acquired after traveling to the city when he was only nine. He made a decent living at his trade and rarely used the simple katana that was strapped across his back. In fact, he couldn't remember a single time he had ever needed to draw it in battle.  
  
The city's name was Alura. It was typical of the western side of the continent. Dirty hovels and alleyways, large busy marketplaces full of street merchants; peasants wandered through with the occasional mercenary passing through with the traders. They liked to work security for fast easy money as the richer merchants traveled across the country selling their wares. Most of the men in the city were armed with a broadsword or a dagger at least, many of the women carried knives as well.   
  
Ranma wandered through the market street and gazed up at the castle that rested in the center of the city. It rose far into the sky above seeming to scrape the bottom of the clouds, in fact, he could remember days where the top of the tall tower in the center could not be seen because of the clouds. He smiled as he passed a gruff looking dwarf pedaling an assortment of pots and pans in a small booth. Dwarves and Elves were rare in the city, but occasionally one would see them running a booth in the market. The portly dwarf snorted at him in disgust and ignored him in favor of a customer that walked up. He continued on his way and frowned as a cloaked figure stood in his way.  
  
"I see much turmoil in your soul young man," commented a feminine voice from within the shadows of the cloak.  
  
"Not today all right?" muttered the boy halfheartedly as he attempted to pass by.  
  
"You are tainted by the stench of magic boy. Are you a mage?"  
  
Ranma paused and looked at the woman with a small frown. "I don't need no stupid magic."  
  
"I see. We'll meet again soon boy," said the woman with a hint of amusement in her voice.  
  
"Go sell your fortunes to someone else elf," snorted the boy as he continued on his way.  
  
The figure within the cloak paused and looked up from the shadows of her hood. Her youthful features contorted slightly and she frowned. "He has a good eye to see that past all of this clothing."  
  
  
Ranma turned into a dark alley and stopped cold in his tracks. "Are you going to quit following me or what?"  
  
All at once a pile of refuse seemed to burst to life as a shadowy figure emerged and charged him. Ranma sidestepped the skillful punch and smirked as he sent his knee up towards the attacker's abdomen. It was easily blocked and the pair jumped away from each other and faced off for a long moment without moving an inch.  
  
"You're mine!" screamed the man as he rushed forward again and kicked.   
  
Ranma pushed himself over the man's leg and landed behind him. He turned to attack, but the man was already gone. "You're getting better. Are you done fooling around Kumon? We've got to get back soon."  
  
The boy stepped from the shadows and snorted. He was dressed in light brown pants and a dark blue shirt, a heavy looking broadsword hung off of his hip as he strolled up to Ranma casually. "Right, I saw you take that guy's wallet, took your sweet time getting here too. What the hell do you call that?"  
  
"Buying dinner," replied Ranma with a shrug. "Come on, we've got to get to the guild and unload some of this junk."  
  
"Which you left me to carry!" said the boy as he picked up a sack from the ground.  
  
"Fine, I'll pay for you too," said the pigtailed boy as he started walking again.  
  
"You'd better!"  
  
  
The inside of the guild was rather like a cross between a bar and a market. Men ate and drank at tables around the room and several booths lined the walls along one side of the room. Two large heavy doors stood atop a small staircase that led to the guild master's quarters. Several of the men and women inside turned to face the pair as they entered, but quickly turned away as nothing of interest could be seen.  
  
"Come on, let's get rid of this stuff now. It's heavy," snorted Kumon as he shifted the load on his shoulder uncomfortably.  
  
"I guess we can eat afterwards," commented Ranma. His face told that he wasn't too pleased with the idea.  
  
The pair walked up to one of the shadier and smaller looking booths. A small old man leered at them as they put the bag on the counter. He stroked his long beard lazily as he greeted them. "Ah, Ranma and Ryu, it has been some time! How have you been? Out of town again?"  
  
"That's right, Myuten this time," said Ranma cheerfully. Ryu remained silent and turned away from the conversation.  
  
"Oh, they have a nice magic guild there!"  
  
"Why do you think we went?" said Ranma lazily.  
  
"What have you got for me then?" said the old man with a chuckle.  
  
"Couple of elemental rods, a crystal ball with a seal on it, some black dust, a few bottles of potions, and a dagger with a light enchantment on it."  
  
"No dragons teeth?" The man gave a heavy sigh.  
  
"They aren't in season," commented Ryu casually.  
  
"That's why I want them so badly," said the man cheerfully as he poked through the bag.  
  
"Don't think you're getting this stuff any cheaper cause we don't have any either. I know a few shops that would kill to get some of this stuff." Ranma crossed his arms and smiled at the man looking confident as usual.  
  
"I wouldn't think of it," said the old man with a nervous laugh. It was obvious that he was going to attempt to bargain down because of it.  
  
"I can give you six," said the old man with a serious look suddenly crossing his features.  
  
"Ten thousand," said Ryu.  
  
"Well..." started the old man carefully.  
  
"Ten thousand or we leave right now." Ryu's voice was as calm as ever.  
  
"All right," said the old man as he gave in. He chuckled inwardly; ten thousand was a steal for some of the things they had brought back. He had been doing business with them for some time now. It seemed as if they either didn't know or didn't care how much the stuff was really worth. Probably the latter considering how much the pair traveled around. They would often visit the cities in the surrounding country, but they always ended up back in Alura. It was funny really; two of the most wanted men on the continent, and no one even had a clue what they looked like.  
  
Ranma collected the money and turned towards his partner. "Come on, let's eat."  
  
Ryu merely grunted and nodded his head in response.  
  
  
She entered the small dark hole inside of the alley and smiled at what she found. She wasn't really surprised, after all, most thieve's guilds were notoriously lavish inside. After a moment she removed her hood letting her long violet hair flow down her back. She pushed her way through the crowd and smiled as she walked around several tables. A young red haired girl was having a rather physical argument with a large gruff looking man beside her. Her companion was sitting back and drinking a mug of ale with a calm and board look about him. Nearby another group was swapping stories about death defying escapes from various adventures they claimed to have had. Men spoke loudly about trolls they'd killed and ogres as well. A few goblins roamed about the room serving tables with some of the rougher looking women. Hanging from the rafters whores waved at the men who entered lazily and hung off of their patrons. "Disgusting."  
  
"Hey little elf girl, how much for a night with you?" slurred an oversized and drunken oaf as he lumbered towards her.  
  
The woman narrowed her eyes and pushed past him without a single word. She made her way to the bar and leaned on the counter knocking her hand on the dirty wood surface. A middle aged man turned towards her with a look of disinterest, until he noticed how she looked. Elves were prized as whores and wives; they didn't age much in the course of a human life.   
  
"Looking for a job cutie?"  
  
"Stop being foolish. I'm looking for someone," said the woman impatiently.  
  
"That'll cost you," said the man with a shrug. He backed off a little bit when he noticed the armor under her cloak. Most elves were pretty passive and easygoing, but crossing one wearing armor was not a good idea.  
  
"I'll decide that on my own thank you. I understand a man named Dragon Ghost operates within this city."  
  
The man looked at her blankly and shrugged his shoulders. She placed a single gold coin on the table and he took it. "Yeah, I've heard rumors. He's not a member of the guild. If he is, it's a big secret to be kept away from me."  
  
"I need to speak with the guild master then."  
  
"What do you want with the likes of him anyway? If you're looking to hire a thief, there's lots of able men here. If you're a bounty hunter, I'm afraid this place is more dangerous than you think. Not that many of 'em care about that; most of 'em don't walk out of here though. "  
  
"How do I get in touch with the guild master?" said the woman as she placed down another coin.  
  
"I'll tell him you want to speak with him," said the man as he pocketed the money and walked into a door behind the bar.  
  
After a few moments he returned and nodded to her casually. "Go through those two doors up there." He pointed towards the large heavy doors that took up most of one of the far walls.  
  
She nodded and walked away.  
  
  
Ranma grumbled as she ate her meal lazily. The large dumb oaf sprawled out across the floor unconscious had spilled a sizable amount of his ale on her. Now she smelled. Ryu pretty much ignored the situation; it was all too familiar. Ranma had never spoken about where he picked up the unusual curse and he didn't press the information. He didn't really care anyway.  
  
The redhead tore at the large leg of meat in her hands with a small amount of anger. "Sometimes I hate this stupid curse."  
  
"You should relax more," commented Kumon as he kicked his feet up on top of the table.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," said the girl as she tore into another portion of meat.  
  
A small lizard like creature with tiny leathery wings landed on the edge of the table and hissed. It glanced at the pair for a moment before turning to Ranma. "The guild master wishes to speak with you."  
  
"Now?" she said with surprise on her face.  
  
"Yes." The creature fluttered away.  
  
"Well, looks like we're getting a little extra work again," said Ryu as he watched her stand and walk away.  
  
  
The guild master smiled to himself as he fingered his curly beard. He wore a rather loudly colored shirt and an odd looking round hat on his head. "I am Guild King. What do you want the Dragon Ghost for anyway?"  
  
"To the point are we?" I wish to hire his services. Can you allow me to speak with him?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?" said the woman with her eyebrow arching slightly.  
  
"I do not allow anyone to speak with him. Tell me what it is you want and I'll tell him, then you can come and pick up whatever it is you want from me later."  
  
The elven girl smiled and pulled out a small medallion from the folds of her cloak. "I really think I should speak with him personally."  
  
The Guild King's eyes narrowed at the sight of the necklace. He sighed and shook his head. "I shall allow it."  
  
  
Ranma entered the room and frowned when she saw a young elf sitting on the Guild King's throne. The man was nowhere to be seen.   
  
"Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
The girl stared at her for a moment and giggled to herself. "This is the famed Dragon Ghost? I heard he was a man!"  
  
Ranma narrowed her eyes at this and snorted. "He is."  
  
This got the elf a little more than surprised. "Who are you then?"  
  
"I'm his manager."  
  
"I see."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"I have a job for him," said the woman as she pushed back her hair lazily.  
  
"What is it that you want?" snorted the redhead lazily.  
  
The girl on the throne paused slightly and leaned forward. "You!?"  
  
Ranma backed away with a cautious look about her. "What?"  
  
"An elf? You're an elf? How odd," the girl leaned back in her chair and smiled. "I suppose that will make this easier."  
  
"What of it?"  
  
"If you weren't I couldn't show this to you."  
  
Ranma narrowed her eyes at the small crystal the woman pulled from her cloak. She held it in her palm and an image appeared above it, the image of a golden staff with a red crystal above it. It's design was simple and it had almost no ornamentation at all, save the two dragon wings that held the crystal in place at the tip of the staff.  
  
"Is that?"  
  
"Yes, the staff of the elders. I want it." The elf girl's eyes narrowed carefully as she watched the girl's reaction.  
  
Ranma shrugged her shoulders. "That will cost you."  
  
"I can pay," replied the girl with a shrug. She tossed a huge bag of gold at Ranma's feet. "The other half when you get me the staff."  
  
"That staff is one of the most guarded secrets of the elven tribes. It won't be easy to get."  
  
"No, but if you want to steal from a wizard, everyone knows that you must summon the Dragon Ghost. He must have powerful magic in order to steal from such men. Even the most powerful of wizards have fallen prey to him. They are unable to understand how he does it. Do you know?"  
  
"It's a secret." Ranma turned away with the bag of gold in her hands. A light smile crossed her lips as she exited the room.  
  
The woman paused as the redhead opened the door. "Aren't you going to ask who I am? Or why I want it?"  
  
"Why? It's just a stupid staff. I don't recall it having any powerful spells on it from legends, so I don't really need to know what you need it for do I?"  
  
Ranma walked out and chuckled as she slung the bag over her shoulder. "Ryu's gonna love this one."  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
  



	2. Default Chapter Title

  
It seems there's already a fic called Dragonghost out there. So I changed the title slightly.   
  
The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 2  
  
The Staff of Elders.  
  
--------------------  
  
Ranma stood on a hillside with Ryu beside him. They overlooked a great valley with the city of Alta in its center. The bustle of the town was evident even from where they stood. Caravans entered the large gates in the great stone wall that surrounded the village. The setting sun in the distance made the scene quite breathtaking. However, the pair ignored the scenery for the most part and planed their next course of action.  
  
"So, someone wants you to steal the staff of elders from the elven village near Koran?" Kumon frowned and scratched his chin in thought.  
  
"That's what she said," confirmed the pigtailed boy lazily.  
  
"I don't like it, this smells like a trap."  
  
"It could be internal politics. She might be starting some sort of coupe or something. Besides, you always say that when somebody hires us."  
  
"I've been right before."  
  
Ranma sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah, twice, big deal, and so what if it is? That's never stopped us."  
  
"It doesn't seem like something the elves would do though. Drow maybe, but not elves."  
  
"Hmm, you're right, but then again, everybody has a few bad apples."  
  
"So why are we helping her then?" snorted Ryu angrily.  
  
"She paid us well. We've done things like this before, even if she is some sort of megalomaniac, someone always comes along and stops them. It isn't our concern."  
  
"Yeah, I suppose. Something about this doesn't sit right with me though. I get the feeling we might end up playing the hero in this one Ranma. You know I hate that."  
  
"Well don't come then, this is more my style anyway. Lots of magical traps and stuff I'm sure."  
  
"I don't see what you're so worried about. We haven't done anything to piss any elves off. Lots of wizards and mages, but not elves." Ranma smiled and pat his companion on his back.  
  
"So we do it then?"  
  
"We've already been paid," noted Ranma as he produced the bag of gold and tossed it to the ground at Kumon's feet.  
  
"Well, that settles it then. The Dragon Ghost strikes again." Ryu shook his head and smirked. "Come on, let's start setting up camp."  
  
-------------------  
  
The next day Ranma and Ryu started out early, they were well into the wilderness by the middle of the day and made their way into the great forest that was the home to the elven city.  
  
"I didn't know they were so close to Alta," commented Ryu lazily.  
  
"Hmm," Ranma nodded in agreement and took a flask of water off of his belt. He poured it over his head and changed into his female form. "Two humans wouldn't arouse much suspicion, they get a lot of traders here. We'll draw less attention this way though."  
  
"You've been here before?" commented Ryu lazily.  
  
"Once or twice on business, they pay good money in some of these shops for magical items. They love novelty spells, no hardcore stuff here though. Elves don't really need black magic or healing spells."  
  
"You would know," grumbled Ryu as he glanced around. After a moment of silence he spoke up again. "Any idea who our mysterious elven client is?"  
  
"Not really no," Ranma cocked her head to the side and thought about it. "She could be a disguised Drow, but I didn't get much menace from her. She could be some sort of low level noble looking to up her position with this somehow. I'm not real good at stuff like this, I don't see any reason to worry though."  
  
"Why is that?" snorted Ryu casually.  
  
"From what I've heard, the staff doesn't have any sort of magical power. It's a sort of symbol for the leaders of the tribe."  
  
"Sacred artifact eh?"  
  
"More or less, elves don't talk about it much. It's not really all that important. It may be valuable though."  
  
"Maybe she's going to ransom it, if it's a political symbol."  
  
"Who cares? Let's get this over with," snorted Ranma as she turned with the path.   
  
The pair came upon a wide path with torches hanging on a few of the tree trunks. It was getting late and they had been lit recently, a few lazy looking guards stood up in the tree branches on tiny wooden platforms watching the forest intently. Travelers like them could pass unmolested for the most part, especially with Ranma's curse. Soft music floated across the air towards them as they neared the village.  
  
The path ended suddenly and Ryu looked up at the town. He raised his eyebrow in slight surprise at the sight. All of the buildings were suspended from the branches, wooden and grass huts with hanging walkways between them; a few of the homes were even carved into the trunks of the gigantic trees. The plants inside the village were hundreds of times larger than those in the rest of the forest. "Impressive."  
  
Ranma nodded her agreement and pointed to a particularly large tree in the center of the village, it was as large as a palace and rose thousands of feet into the air. "That's where it will be."  
  
"Looks like a party," commented Ryu as he nodded towards several large bonfires on the forest floor with elves dancing around the flames. There were several large tables of food as well. It seemed as if the whole village was present.   
  
The pair walked into the crowd and put smiles on their faces as they wandered through. There were several humans present, as well as a few dwarves. Ranma took Ryu by the hand and forced a blush onto her face as she led him through the crowd towards the palace. A few of the elves noticed this and gave knowing smiles at what appeared to be an embarrassed couple sneaking away to be alone. They weren't bothered.  
  
Finally the pair moved away from the crowd towards the great tree. Several windows were carved into the wood and lights could be seen from a few of them. The pair stopped and nodded towards one another silently as they slunk into the shadows.  
  
"How do you want to handle this?" asked Ryu as he pulled off his traveling pack and set it down before removing a few grappling hooks and some rope.  
  
"My way of course, we can't just barge in there shouting. The whole village is out here right now. We need to be as quiet as possible."  
  
"So, I'll stay here then?"  
  
"For now, I want you to stay nearby. I'm not sure what kind of security they put around this thing, or if there are any spells protecting it. Give me a couple of dispel wards, I'm betting they have some kind of tracking spell on the damn thing."  
  
"Right, I'll stand watch over there." Ryu pointed to one of the hanging walkways that came particularly close to the large tree. "If this is a trap, they won't take long to move in. If that happens I'm getting us out of here in a hurry Ranma. We don't need another screw up."  
  
"We got away clean didn't we?"  
  
"Shut up. That was far to close for my liking, and that damn dwarf is still after your hide!"  
  
"Whatever," grumbled Ranma as she faded into the shadows.  
  
"Damn careless wench!" snarled Ryu as he started to stalk away. A moment later he was lying on his stomach, there were several tears along the back of his shirt. "Damn you Ranma!"  
  
"Who's a wench?" teased a ghostly voice from the shadows.  
  
--------------------  
  
The elder of the elves walked through the hallway and smiled as she saw the party down below her through the windows. It was the festival of the moon, a harvest time tradition that had existed for thousands of years. She remembered most of them herself. She continued her walk and came upon a young elf girl with violet hair that fell down to her waist.  
  
"Ah, Shampoo, how are things going?"  
  
The girl smiled. "Everything is going as planned Great Grandmother."  
  
"Excellent. Walk with me a ways child."  
  
Shampoo frowned; she hated when the old woman called her that. She was almost two hundred. However, she complied and walked with the woman through the darkened hallways.  
  
"I see that you felt it as well child."  
  
"What is that great grandmother?" said the woman cheerfully. "The festival is going well."  
  
"That's not what I mean child. A presence has vanished from existence. It seems someone has died, one of our own. She is not familiar to me though. It saddens me to see life ended so prematurely, she was young."  
  
"A murder?" the elven girl's eyes went wide.  
  
"No, I sensed no violence in her passing, it was most unusual. Quite sudden really."  
  
Shampoo nodded at this. "Tragic."  
  
"Well, I'm off to bed, at my age these parties don't last as long as they did once."  
  
"Good night great grandmother."  
  
The woman paused slightly as she moved towards her chambers near the top of the stairs. She spoke in a hushed voice. "Shampoo, alert the guards, there is a thief among us."  
  
"What?" said the girl in shock.  
  
"Quickly child, I shall attempt to locate her. She cannot hide from our magic."  
  
------------------  
  
Mousse stood patiently at the entrance to the small shrine. The doors were opened and he was staring at the staff in front of him. It was thrust into a simple wooden pedestal; the crystal on top of it glowed in the flickering torchlight. "It would be so simple to take it. I would be accepted again." He clenched his fists and growled slightly. "No." He turned away from the temptation. "I promised I would not. I cannot break that oath, not to her." He placed his glasses on his face and sighed as he hung his head. Guard duty sucked; there was no way around it. It was made worse by the party going on outside, and the temptation of taking the damnable staff. It really would be easy; he knew all the traps that filled the room. At least he thought he did, it would be just like that old hag to hold out on him. That thought ended the debate. He turned towards the hallway again and waited for his relief to come.  
  
Suddenly the crystal around his neck glowed brightly. A voice filled the hallway suddenly that almost filled him with joy.   
  
"Mousse! There is a thief, be on guard."  
  
"Yes Shampoo! No one will get by me!" he cried excitedly.  
  
--------------------  
  
"Elder, I detect nothing." Another of the aged ones sat over her crystal ball and stared deeply inside. There is one with larceny in his heart, but he stands outside. He has not moved for some time, I doubt if he is foolish enough to try anything.  
  
Cologne narrowed her eyes. "Impossible, I know what I felt. A presence outside vanished as if in death, then reappeared for a moment inside the halls."  
  
"Perhaps your age has made you jumpy?"  
  
"You'd like that wouldn't you? No, the life force within her was too strong for me to be jumping at shadows."  
  
"As you say, but there is still nothing. Perhaps a spirit with a strong bond to this place has been visiting?"  
  
"Perhaps, but I still want us to be on guard."  
  
"It will be done," said the crone as she turned away from her crystal and walked out of the room.  
  
----------------------  
  
Ranma stood watching the elven boy for a moment in the shadows. The boy seemed well adjusted to the darkness; he was also very alert at the moment. His gaze shifted up and down the hall searching for intruders.  
  
"My such a diligent guard," she thought to herself before backing away from the scene. The staff could be seen inside a small room behind him. There were several magical traps she could see, and probably a few more she could not. "That's a little much for a staff that does nothing. Unless..." She faded back into the shadows.  
  
---------------------  
  
Ryu frowned as two more guard appeared at the entrance to the palace. "Changing the guard?" He paused and noted that a few more appeared on either side of him watching him intently. "No, they're bulking up security." He narrowed his eyes and leaned against the trunk of the tree he was standing in. "It seems they're on to something, but is it us?" He chuckled slightly. "Well Ranma, it seems that you've underestimated them. I'll wait a little longer too see if anything else happens first."  
  
---------------------  
  
Ranma entered a large darkened chamber and smiled. There was almost no light in the room, not even enough to see with. She knew that any light within the room would attract attention. Especially with it being an elf palace. They wouldn't even need magical detection to know something had changed in the room; the flow of nature would be enough to alert them. She slunk silently across the room to where a large bed sat along the wall.   
  
Her instincts told her all she needed to know. Silently she fell at the foot of the bed where a large chest lay. She knelt down beside it and opened the lid carefully. A few robes and some small jewelry could be seen inside, she carefully removed them and smirked to herself as she pulled out a small hidden panel out of the bottom. A long golden handle glinted slightly in the tiny ray of moonlight that shone through the curtains. She smiled to herself and placed one of the wards across the staff. "There, now to get out of here."  
  
She jumped up into the shadows of the ceiling and smiled as the doors burst open. Several elven men entered brandishing torches. In the center an old elven woman rushed forward and shoved those in front of her aside with a gnarled wooden staff. "That box, open it!" she commanded.  
  
Ranma slipped through the doors behind them without a sound and once again took to the shadows.  
  
Inside the room the chest was opened, the clothing within was undisturbed. "Nothing mistress."  
  
The woman snorted and started to toss the contents around carelessly. She pulled out the hidden panel and frowned. "It is as I feared. Go now, alert the village. The staff of elders has been stolen." She turned around and rushed out of the room again.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Mousse waited patiently, word had not yet reached him. The thief was apparently still inside the palace. "If I took it now, they would believe that the thief succeeded. He slowly stalked towards the open doors that beckoned him ever closer. "Do I really want to go back though?" He paused as an image appeared in the back of his mind. "Shampoo... I'm sorry, I can no longer live in shame. I shall come back for you though." He slowly rubbed his chin and reached out for the golden staff.  
  
"Mousse!" The elven boy jumped in alarm.   
  
"Shampoo! What's going on?"  
  
"You have failed me? The Staff of Elders has been stolen!"  
  
The crystal around his neck glowed as the telepathic link came to life. He fell to his knees as pain laced through his body. A blue energy crackled around him. "Failed? The staff has not been stolen! I'm looking at it right now!"  
  
Another voice entered the boy's mind. "Enough, Shampoo release him. He has not failed his duty." Mousse felt the pain slowly subside and struggled away from the doors again.  
  
---------------------  
  
In another part of the palace the violet haired girl stood with her great grandmother and stared at her in shock. "You mean?"  
  
"Yes child, the real staff has been stolen."  
  
"No! How could this be?"  
  
The elder who had tried to discover the intruder stood in the room as well. "Nothing, the human thief still stands where he was before. He has not moved, nor invoked any magic. He is not the culprit."  
  
"I know," said Cologne sadly. "The one we seek cannot be of this world. It has the ability to erase all signs of its existence."  
  
"You mean?"  
  
"Yes, Shampoo, you have done well. Too well."  
  
"I understand Great Grandmother." The girl bowed and walked out of the room.  
  
"What do you speak of?"  
  
"You will understand in time," said the old woman cheerfully.  
  
"Mousse almost betrayed us tonight."  
  
"No, he did not. I can see deeper into his heart than anyone else, he would not have gone through with his plan. The deception is still there, but it is weak. I wonder what it was he did to come to such an opinion of himself? He will grow stronger, perhaps one day he will tell us what this secret he hides away from us is."  
  
"I doubt that, it is buried far too deep."  
  
"In time, we shall see. His foolhardy love for my Shampoo is far greater than even she imagines. I can only hope time erases it, for I see only tragedy if it is allowed to grow."  
  
--------------------  
  
Ranma stood with Ryu and smiled. "We have it."  
  
The guard that had been watching Ryu left a short time ago into the palace. The place was swarming with them. The festivities had long since ended and now guards walked among the guests.  
  
"Good let's get out of here."  
  
The pair walked towards the path that would lead them out of the village and started walking.  
  
"You caused quite a commotion."  
  
"Yeah, I used that ward to seal away the spell placed on the staff. It isn't anything but a tracking spell, but it was enough to alert the elves inside that something was wrong."  
  
Ryu nodded and they left the light of the bonfires and walked into the darkness. The woods seemed alive at night as the bushes and branches shifted in the wind. "So, we bring this thing to the elven wench and she pays us the rest of the money?"  
  
"That's right, we'll be able to take it easy for a while." Ranma looked quite proud of herself at this announcement.  
  
"You two! Hold! No one is permitted to leave!" cried a voice from in front of them.   
  
The pair stopped and noticed the guards standing in front of them. There were five of them, all armed with spears.   
  
Ryu looked at Ranma and smiled. "What should we do?"  
  
"Don't look at me, your the strong arm remember?" quipped the girl as she hunched over. She seemed to fade completely out of existence.  
  
"I guess I earn my part of this now eh?" said Ryu with a grin appearing on his face. He charged forward and screamed at them.  
  
"Don't move!" The guards paused in surprise and he rushed into them. "Fierce Tiger Opening Gates Blow!"  
  
The guards were sent reeling by the blow, at least two of them were down for the count and a third would not recover in time to stop his escape.  
  
Two of the guards he missed completely though. They quickly regained their senses and charged him with their spears held low. Ryu shifted allowing one of the pikes to pass by him. His hand lashed out and cut through the wooden handle snapping the blade off, his free hand met the guard's helmet creating a dent and sent the man to the ground out cold. He shook his hand off and frowned. Iron helmets really hurt.  
  
The other guard was already lying on the ground; he was stripped down to his shorts with bruises running down the sides of his back on both sides.  
  
"Thanks for the assist."  
  
"No problem, it wouldn't do to have my partner get killed for his own carelessness," commented Ranma as she appeared beside him.  
  
"Or mine for running her mouth," snorted the boy as he started walking away.  
  
"Oh come on! Don't be such a jerk!"  
  
"Who's a jerk?"  
  
The pair happily argued their way out of the woods.  
  
------------------  
  
"I've brought what you want," said Ranma as she stood in front of the elven girl again. They were once again inside the Guild King's chamber alone together.  
  
"My, but you have," said the violet haired elf with a small frown on her face. She fiddled with the staff lazily as she spoke.  
  
"Great, now pay me."  
  
She tossed another bag of gold at her feet and Ranma cheerfully picked it up.  
  
The woman smiled. "So tell me, which one are you? Dragon, or ghost?"  
  
Ranma froze and slowly looked up at the woman.  
  
"So, it is true? I never would have guessed that the famous thief of sorcerers was actually a duo. Our guards reported you and your companion leaving the village."  
  
"Who are you? What do you want?"  
  
"I am Shampoo, the Princess of the Forest Elves. I wanted you to steal the staff of elders, but I never expected you to steal the real one. None of us did. We are quite impressed."  
  
"Is there a point in this?"  
  
Shampoo narrowed her eyes. This elf was being quite cheeky for someone who just found out she was speaking with royalty. She sighed and pushed it aside. "Of course there is. This was a test. We have a job, if you complete it, you will be rewarded with enough money to retire on permanently."  
  
"Retire? Why would I want to do that?"  
  
"I see, then there is more to you than the value of a gold piece is there?"  
  
"Maybe." Ranma didn't like this. She wanted to leave, but the situation would leave too much danger for her and Ryu.   
  
"Moving on, the job is very difficult, hence the difficulty of the test. I want you to steal something else for me."  
  
"No."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"I don't like people toying with me. If my partner was in here he'd kill you for what you know. Pray I don't tell him." She turned to leave the room.  
  
"Ten million gold pieces."  
  
Ranma stared at her again. "What?"  
  
"That is the reward for completing this task. Think it over, you know where to find me." Shampoo stood up and walked past the young girl with a smirk on her face.  
  
"Do you really think I can be bought?"  
  
"Anyone can be bought if you offer enough."  
  
"You're wrong," said Ranma.  
  
"If you can't be bought, then how did I come into possession of this?"  
  
"It was a challenge. People have died for less than what you tried in here."  
  
"Oh, then this is a challenge more worthy than this staff could ever hope to be."  
  
"What is it then?"  
  
"I cannot tell you."  
  
"... I'll think about it."  
  
After that Ranma stood alone inside the chamber. She clenched her fist and stared at it. "Damn."  
  
-----------------------  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The impossible dream.  
  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  



	3. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and the Ghost.  
  
Part 3  
  
The impossible dream.  
  
Ranma sat brooding across from Ryu in a run down looking tavern. The place was sparsely populated by a few rough looking humans who sat along the bar or at the tables that lined the walls. Smoke hung in the air from a few patron's pipes and cigarettes. The remains of a meal was spread out between the pair.  
  
"What's eating you Saotome?" said Ryu finally after a while of ignoring the pigtailed boy.  
  
"That elf girl," said Ranma as he rubbed the sides of his head.  
  
"What about her? She paid us enough and the job is done. What, you got a thing for her or something?" Ryu seemed slightly amused by the prospect.  
  
"No, it ain't that," grumbled Ranma, he sighed and looked up at his partner. "She knows."  
  
Ryu sat up abruptly with an angry look in his eyes. "She knows what?"  
  
"She knows who we are. That whole job was some kind of test."  
  
"Test?" asked Ryu carefully.  
  
"Yeah. She wants us to do another job."  
  
"What job?"  
  
"She won't say."  
  
Ryu leaned back in his chair and growled. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"  
  
"I'm thinking about taking her up on it."  
  
Kumon let out a humorless laugh. "So you do have a thing for the wench?"  
  
"No, she's offering ten million gold pieces."  
  
"So?" countered Ryu lazily.  
  
"You want in if I decide to go?" Ranma stared at him with a dead seriousness in his eyes.  
  
"Like I would let you do something so stupid on your own," countered the boy with another distasteful snort. He paused and turned his head away. "Ranma, you know what we have to do to her. It can be done after the job if you prefer."  
  
"Yeah, I know. She knows too much."  
  
The pair sat brooding and drinking for a long time after that.  
  
----------------------  
  
Shampoo sat in her room overlooking the canopy forest from a window carved into the wall of the great tree. She was dressed in a long flowing gown of deep green that spread across the ground around her. Her hair was done up in a tight bun on top of her head and several expensive looking jewels hung from her ears and around her neck. It was late and the moons shone brightly in the sky above surrounded by the stars. A silver light played across the treetops below giving the top of the forest the appearance of a frozen sea. The door to her chambers opened and a familiar figure walked in.  
  
"Shampoo, it is time."  
  
"I know Mousse," said the girl with a sigh. "I hate these events."  
  
The elven boy was dressed in robes that hung loosely off of his body. His hands were hidden away within his sleeves and his thick glasses rested on top of his head. He nodded and moved to help her up stumbling across a stool that lay in the center of the room.  
  
"Oh! I didn't see you there!" he exclaimed as he attempted to help the stool to its feet. "Please forgive me Shampoo!"  
  
The princess giggled into her hand for a moment before straightening her face up and scowling at him. "Mousse you idiot!" She kicked him in the face sending him sprawling across the floor of the room as she passed him. She pointed her nose into the air and left him in the room alone.  
  
"She is so fierce!" he sighed. After a moment of lying love struck on the ground he stood up and dusted himself off. He smirked and picked up the stool before placing it back in its place and walked out of the room after her.  
  
Shampoo entered the great hall and smiled as she walked up to her great grandmother. The room was a large ballroom with a wooden floor. Torches lined all the interior walls that were carved from the great trunk of the tree. Several tables lined the sides of the room filled with various food ranging from wild game, to nuts and berries. Another table had several large kegs of wine and wooden cups. The party was attended by many people in expensive looking clothing. Mostly elves, but with a good majority of humans as well. Most, if not all of the people in the room were probably nobles of some kind.  
  
The shrunken old woman motioned to the chair next to her and nodded. She was sitting on a throne that sat upon a raised platform along the back wall of the room. "Come, Shampoo. Do try better than that. I know you hate these parties, but they are an important part of your future duties."  
  
The young elf snorted and crossed her arms. "Politics."  
  
"Yes, not every problem can be solved with your fists. You are the finest warrior of your generation my dear, but that will not be enough to rule after I have passed on."  
  
Shampoo felt her jaw clench at the old woman's words. She did not want her to die, for obvious reasons of course. The fact that she had no real desire to rule only helped her reluctance to think about it. She paused and glanced around the room.  
  
  
"Great Grandmother. Where is Mousse?"  
  
"Eh?" the old woman turned her gaze onto the floor. "I don't see him here. Why?"  
  
"I must have hit him harder than I thought then," replied the young girl with a shrug.  
  
Cologne cackled in amusement for a moment and sighed. "I'm sure he's fine dear."  
  
"Really? That's too bad," muttered Shampoo under her breath.   
  
The boy in question appeared through the doors of the great hall and wandered around a bit before engaging in conversation. Unfortunately for him, he was talking to one of the potted plants that lined the walls between the hanging torches.  
  
Cologne turned towards her granddaughter and suddenly became serious. "Do you have any word back yet?"  
  
"No, nothing," replied the girl with a shrug.  
  
"We may be forced to proceed anyway. The dark presence within the east only grows in power each day."  
  
"Do you think this will truly work?" asked the girl with a stern look on her face.  
  
"It must, the Emperor has been quiet far too long. I do not believe that the conquering of the east will be enough to sate that childish imp long. Soon he will look towards the fertile lands we inhabit. When that happens, it will be far too late."  
  
"He is powerful indeed," agreed Shampoo. "I'll crush him myself if I have to."  
  
"Don't be foolish child."  
  
"Are you saying I'm not skilled enough to beat that child?"  
  
"No, you are not. His army is fearsome, and he has many powerful servants. You would not even be able to reach him, much less fight him yourself. It is not your destiny."  
  
"I see."  
  
Cologne sighed and shook her head. It was easy to see that she was far from convinced.  
  
-------------------  
  
The party had ended a short time ago, Shampoo sighed as she entered her room and lay out across the bed that took up most of the center of the room. A beautifully carved wooden dresser sat along the wall opposite the door. She sat up and looked in the large mirror that hung from the wall just behind the dresser. After a moment she lowered her hair and walked over to the mirror, picking up a brush from the dresser top. She sat down in the small chair in front of it and began to brush lazily.  
  
After a while she stood up and went over to the window, gazing out over the stars again. "I grow tired of waiting." She turned to the dresser again and pulled out her nightclothes. Thinking on her position again. The life she led was a far cry from what she truly wanted. The life of a forest elf shouldn't have so much pageantry. She should live among the trees, living with the flow of life. However, her station in life would not allow that. She could feel the flow of nature still, it was strong within her and would probably never disappear, but she knew that the feeling was slowly fading from her. A cold wind blew into the room and she shivered for a moment. She sighed and looked into the mirror again. She stepped back in shock and stared at it.  
  
A small brown note had been stuck into the frame. It had two words scribed inside of it.  
  
"Mission accepted."  
  
She carefully lifted the delicate note into her hands and flipped it over a few times. She felt anger rise up inside her and threw it onto the ground. "How dare they! Those arrogant!" She sat down again and calmed herself.   
  
--------------------  
  
A strong looking figure clad in black armor kneeled before the Emperor. The room was dark and cold, the shifty gray of marble and stone gave off minimal light from the moonbeams that shone through the windows that were carved high up in the walls of the great chamber. The large Dragon and Phoenix emblem was hanging above the throne on a long tapestry that rose to impossible heights near the ceiling.   
  
"Ah, Your Majesty, how can I be of service?" The voice was young; it seemed out of place within the frightening visage of the black metal.  
  
Herb stepped forward from the shadows and sneered. "Tendo, I trust you have been well?"  
  
"I have," spat the voice with a hateful snarl suddenly apparent in his tone.  
  
"Excellent."  
  
"We have a job for you."  
  
"Your will is mine," said the black clad figure as he bowed his head.  
  
"Good." another figure emerged from the shadows. The voice was feminine and very beautiful. Her body was concealed by a long black cloak that covered her form completely. "The Emperor wishes you to accompany him. We will be leaving in three weeks."  
  
"May I ask where?" inquired the dark figure.  
  
"The northern country of Joketsuko."  
  
"Our mission?"  
  
"Diplomatic. He wishes to start, relations, with the king of that land. It holds a valuable secret that could benefit us in the future."  
  
"I see." said the man cautiously. "My other duties? The Emperor does not require my protection I'll wager."  
  
"My, but you are a sharp one! That will be revealed in time. Leave us now, and don't forget to tell your sister I said hello, Akane." Herb smiled as the girl growled angrily at him.  
  
"As you wish." Her voice dripped in venom as she bowed her head to the man placidly.  
  
"My, but those Tendo girls are spirited."  
  
"Silence Herb. Keep your perversions to yourself in front of the Emperor," snapped the cloaked woman.  
  
"Enough. Leave me," said a small voice from the throne. He was hidden away by the shadows.   
  
The pair bowed to him and backed away into the pitch-black corners of the room.  
  
---------------------  
  
Herb strolled down the hallways of the palace towards his room and snarled. "Impudent brat. I'll see him dead soon enough. Lime! Mint! Before me!"  
  
A pair of young beast-men appeared out of nowhere and kneeled before their master. One was rather like that of a tiger, short orange fur covered his body and two fangs protruded over his lips, a long tail waged slowly from side to side behind him. The other was a werewolf, although his features were more human at the moment, the wolf within him was still evident in his appearance, his fangs protruded slightly out of his mouth and his hair was slightly more wild and grew onto his face despite his young age. Both of their eyes were golden like those of their master and each wore the skins of the animals they represented as clothing.  
  
"Yes, master?" they chimed in unison.  
  
"I want you two to keep an eye on Akane Tendo for a while. She's growing dangerous. I hold her sister close to me. That should be enough to keep her at bay for the time being. However, her anger may grow to far for that to matter."  
  
"Yes master."  
  
Herb turned away from them with his cape billowing a little over dramatically as he entered his chambers. He closed the heavy door behind him and smiled.   
  
The room was lavishly decorated with expensive looking furniture and carpets. All of them had the crest of the Emperor on them. In one corner was a large bed covered in deep red sheets made from silk and satin. A ghostly lithe figure rose from the bed and smiled at him.  
  
She was dressed in a tight dark blue evening gown and wore two large red earrings. Her lips were painted a deep red that accentuated her pale skin. Her short brown hair fell into place around her face as she moved towards him.  
  
"Ah, Nabiki. Come to visit again?" said the man casually as he sat down on one of the large wooden chairs that rested in front of the large fireplace.  
  
"Don't be so naïve," laughed the woman coldly. Everything in her actions gave way to her icy persona. "You know what I want."  
  
"Ah yes, power that I can provide?"  
  
"Maybe later, I was thinking of something more physical at the moment."  
  
"Perhaps. How is our young Saotome doing these days anyway?"  
  
"He's still a thief, and every bit as hard to track now."  
  
"Yes, that technique of his is very interesting."  
  
"I am at a loss to explain it. He seems to know when I'm watching him; I can never get more than a moment's glance at him. He's become quite handsome."  
  
"Has he?" Herb's smile fell slightly.  
  
"Jealous?" quipped the girl. "Oh, Herb darling, you know that I'm willing to become the Queen of Ice in more than reputation at your side."  
  
"Or anyone else who might be able to grant that to you," said the man with his smug looking grin returning once again.  
  
"I'm not going to even try to deny that," said the woman with a sigh. She sat down on his lap and kissed him for a moment.  
  
"You're cold," he commented.  
  
"The dragon within you appreciates that, you have no desire for warm blood at your side."  
  
"Heh, I won't deny that either," said Herb lazily as she shifted in his lap slightly. He looked at her again; the cold fire that burned in the back of her light brown eyes caused a shiver up his spine. "You are positively evil. What makes you think I trust you enough to make you my wife?"  
  
She laughed again; it was as cold and heartless as before. "You don't, but then again, that's exactly why you will. Now come to bed." She stood up and took his hand leading him towards the sheets. He made no move to resist her.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Come out you idiots," snarled Akane as she stood on a balcony overlooking the city below. It stretched out as far as the eye could see. It was quite breathtaking from this height, but a closer inspection would only reveal the dirt and grime that the rooftops hid from view.  
  
Lime and Mint appeared before her each growling in annoyance. "What is it?"  
  
"Herb sent his two lackeys to spy on me again did he?"  
  
"Yes," grumbled Mint angrily.  
  
"Very well, if you're going to be hanging around you might as well make yourselves useful. We leave in three weeks, and while you're here, I want you to keep that idiot, Lord Kuno, away from me."  
  
"Of course," muttered the pair in unison.  
  
"Come on, we're going to see my father," snapped the angry sounding woman as she stalked away.   
  
The pair of beast men looked at each other and shrugged. They had been sent to do this for their master before. Akane seemed to look at it as if he was loaning her his two servants. They didn't mind really, it was easier to follow her that way and keep tabs on what she was doing. She was a much easier taskmaster than Herb anyway. Her tone was intimidating, but she usually sounded like that, after a while they had gotten used to her gruff nature.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Kasumi Tendo smiled as Akane walked into the chambers of Soun Tendo. She was dressed in long flowing white robes and had the same cheerful disposition as always. She was a drastic contrast to the dull gray that seemed to fill the palace. "Hello Akane, have you come to visit father?"  
  
"Yes, where is Lord Tendo?" said the girl with an unusual calm about her.  
  
"In his chambers with mother. Shall I call him for you?"  
  
"No. He is expecting me today," said the girl as she pulled off her helmet and tucked it under her arm. Her short cut black hair was matted from wearing the heavy armor, but she looked quite stunning without it. The only thing that marred her was a tiny scar just under her right eye that ran across her cheek.   
  
"Oh my! It's Mister Lime and Mister Mint! How are you today?"  
  
"Fine Mistress Kasumi," muttered the pair in embarrassment.   
  
"Would you like some tea?"  
  
"Boy, would I!" exclaimed Lime happily.  
  
Mint elbowed him in the ribs and coughed.   
  
"Sorry. I mean thank you, Mistress."  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Akane walked into her father's chambers and kneeled before the man. He was sitting on a small throne dressed in armor similar to hers, but much lighter. He stroked at his mustache and frowned deeply. At his side a beautiful woman of about his age sat. She was clothed in a simple dark green dress and had a frail look about her.  
  
"Mother, Father," greeted the girl as she looked up at them from her knee.  
  
"Tell me child, what did the Emperor want with you? If I may inquire that is," asked Soun calmly.  
  
"He wished me to accompany him on his journey in three weeks. We will be visiting the country of Joketsuko, to the north."  
  
"Hmm, I take it you will not be guarding him?" inquired the man further.  
  
"That would not be my duty, he would not say more."  
  
"Hmm, I see. I wish you well then."  
  
Akane nodded and bowed to her parents.  
  
As soon as she walked out the door Soun broke down into tears. "Oh! My baby girl is growing up so fast!"  
  
His wife sighed and shook her head. "Idiot."  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Akane walked out into the small room where his sister served the two beast men tea cheerfully. The scene looked somewhat ridiculous, but she brushed it off and shook her head.  
  
"Come on, we're leaving."  
  
Lime and Mint looked up in unison and then back to one another before standing up and following after Akane.  
  
"Goodbye! Thank you for visiting!" said Kasumi cheerfully as she waved at them.  
  
Akane raised her hand and waved without looking back.   
  
Lime looked at his companion and sighed. "She sure is a nice lady."  
  
"Yeah, most priestesses don't like us at all," agreed Mint.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood in an open field outside the forest and waited patiently. Shampoo would be arriving soon to tell them of their objective. Ranma was in his cursed form at the moment and was pacing about nervously.   
  
"Jeez, just sit down will ya?" snorted Ryu.  
  
"You know how much I hate waiting," retorted the pigtailed boy as he continued to pace.  
  
"The wait is over," said Ryu as he stood up and nodded towards the approaching elves.  
  
"There's more than one," said Ranma as he glared down at the two figures approaching from the bottom of the hill. One of them they recognized, the other was a short and shriveled looking elf who was probably thousands of years old.  
  
"Hello," greeted the elder as she approached them carefully.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" asked Ryu.  
  
"I am Cologne, the elder of the elven tribe within these woods. This is my Great Granddaughter, Shampoo. We want to hire your services."  
  
"I know that, she told you about us?" prodded Ranma carefully.  
  
"No, It was my idea to seek you out. Forgive my methods, but we had to be sure of your skill. I will pay you well, and you will save this kingdom from ruin if you are successful."  
  
Ryu growled. "I hate playing hero. War is good for business."  
  
"As you say," agreed Cologne with a small nod. "That is one reason why we are paying you so well."  
  
Shampoo looked at the old woman in surprise, but remained silent.  
  
"Shampoo will accompany you," started the hag.  
  
"Absolutely not," snapped Ranma and Ryu at the same time.  
  
"You are thieves, I don't trust you," said Cologne with a firmness in her voice.   
  
"You trust us enough to put her in our care though?" said Ryu with his eyebrow raised slightly.  
  
"I am the greatest warrior of the village, I can take care of myself," snapped Shampoo.  
  
"As she said," agreed Cologne. "However, this is not the only reason behind this."  
  
"And that is?" asked Ranma.  
  
"Only she may return the item to us. If you return without her, you will not be paid. Not only that, we will destroy you."  
  
"I don't have time to play babysitter for no palace raised little princess. If she goes, you're on your own," said Ranma.  
  
"If you go without her, you will fail," finished Cologne.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Accept my terms and I can explain to you, otherwise..."  
  
"No," snapped Ryu.  
  
"Fine, why am I taking her?" asked Ranma as he put his hands up.  
  
"Two main reasons, first, to be sure you do not betray us to the Emperor."  
  
This caught both boys' attention.  
  
"Secondly, because only she will be able to grab hold of the prize. You know no magic. It is her bond with nature as an elf, and her training in sorcery that will allow her to obtain the prize."  
  
"You're going against the Empire?" said Ranma with a small look of surprise evident.  
  
"We must, or our peace will be destroyed within a few years, if not sooner."  
  
"Interesting," said Ryu with his usual calm.  
  
"Two conditions, one is that she gets no special treatment. I'm not an envoy; she's on her own. Second is that you tell us what this big prize is right now."  
  
"Fine, you are going to obtain the staff of the Emperor."  
  
"What?!" Ryu jumped back. "That's impossible!"  
  
"No, it is not. In three weeks time, he will be in Joketsuko on a diplomatic mission. Well, not really, but that is the outward intent of the visit. He will be out of the palace, and he will have the staff with him."  
  
"Humph, that's one for the history books," commented Ranma.  
  
"Are you insane Ranma?! This is the Emperor we're talking about!"  
  
"So?"  
  
Ryu calmed down visibly at this. "We don't need this kind of publicity. Wizards and mages are bad enough, but this?"  
  
"This'll make us the greatest thieves of all time Ryu. Don't pretend you're not interested, or scared."  
  
"Who says I'm not scared? Only an idiot wouldn't be," grumbled Ryu as he hung his head. "All right, fine."  
  
"Excellent. How long do you need to prepare?"  
  
"We're ready now," said Ranma with a snort.  
  
"Very well, come to the village in three days. Shampoo must prepare, even if you are ready. There is much to do, so we'll leave you now." The two elves turned away and started back towards their home.  
  
"This is another fine mess you've gotten us into Saotome," growled Ryu. "Every two bit bounty hunter on the planet will be looking for us now!"  
  
"They already are. We're already the most wanted men in the world. How much worse can it get?"  
  
"Every time you say that..." started Ryu.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, it gets worse. I know."  
  
"Come on, we've got a lot of gold to spend before we go. I want to be happy one more time before I march off to my death."  
  
Ranma smirked at this and laughed. "Wine, women, and song then?"  
  
"Wine and song. Women give us headaches, you should know that by now."  
  
The pair turned away and began walking towards Alta city once again.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Meanwhile, a short distance away...  
  
A short and burly young dwarf stalked towards the city in front of him. He had a long and curly black beard and wore a large hammer across his traveling pack. His chest was covered in thick iron armor, and a golden helmet rested on his head with two long horns jutting from the sides. He walked briskly and muttered under his breath, casually shoving aside any travelers he came across with his massive, but stocky arms. "When I get my hands on that Ranma runt... I'll tear him apart! The bastard! Nobody steals from me! The nerve of that punk! I'll eat him alive! Better yet, I'll cook him first!" He paused in the middle of the road, and roared with laughter as he pictured the things he'd do when he finally found his prey in the back of his mind. "Nobody messes with Good Fang the Blacksmith!" He stopped and glanced around. The city he had been walking towards was gone. "ARGH! Now where am I?"  
  
TBC...  
  
Thought I'd show what everyone else was up to with this part. Bet ya never expected me to do that to Ryoga did ya? I'm thinking Akane was a bit of a surprise as well. As for Nabiki, well, I like her better when she's evil.  



	4. Default Chapter Title

  
The Dragon and the Ghost  
  
Part Four  
  
Good Fang the Dwarf.  
  
Ranma stood with Ryu on the edge of the forest once again three days later. Ranma was once again in his female guise and paced back and fourth across the grass as they awaited the third member of their party. There was a wind blowing across the field making the tall grass that surrounded them wave like the waves of a great ocean. The sun rose slowly into the sky to the west giving the field an almost golden appearance.  
  
"She isn't late yet Saotome," commented Ryu from his back. He was lying on the ground watching the stars fade away into the sunlight.  
  
"Yeah, but I hate waiting for stuff like this," commented the red haired elven girl.  
  
"You should learn patience," said a familiar voice. Both of them jumped to their feet as Shampoo walked towards them a fair distance away. She smirked as she realized they had heard her.   
  
"Great, I hate telepaths," grumbled Ranma as she sat down with her legs crossed as the elf princess approached.  
  
"You are not in tune with your mind then? How odd. It seems you were not brought up within the elven people. I can see that much in your aura. Your connection with nature is weak at best." Shampoo stopped about five feet away from the pair and smiled again. "Shall we be on our way?"  
  
"Is anyone with you?" asked Ranma with a sudden air of nervousness about her.  
  
"Do not worry. I came alone this time. Great Grandmother had other duties to attend." Two large round maces protruded from over her shoulders on each side of her head. In her hands was a simple pole that was a little taller than she was and a small leather bag was hanging at her side as well.  
  
"How much magic do you have on you?" asked Ryu as he ignored the conversation.  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Magical objects are easy to detect. We don't need that on a mission like this. If you have any, I suggest you find a place to store them before we get to Joketsuko. You won't need them," said the boy casually as he stood up and turned away from them. "Ranma, do what you have too. I'll be at the base of the hill when you're ready."  
  
"What did he mean by that?" asked Shampoo as she eyed the redhead carefully.  
  
"If you're going to be traveling with us, you have to know. First, I need your vow. You will never tell anyone of what you see here now."  
  
"Very well. I give you my sacred oath. I will never tell," agreed Shampoo.  
  
Ranma smirked and pulled a small flask from his side. "I'm not really an elf." He poured the contents over his head and shifted. His shoulders broadened as his chest vanished and he grew a few inches taller. His hair changed to a solid black as well.  
  
The elven girl dropped her staff and placed her hand over her mouth in shock. "What?"  
  
"Don't worry, the spell that did this to me is a natural one. It can't really be detected. It looks like nothing more than nature itself to any prying wizard." He turned away from her and chuckled to himself for a moment. "If you have any questions, keep them to yourself. I've shown you all you need to know."  
  
Shampoo's eyes were wide with terror and she fell to her knees. "Jusenkyo."  
  
Ranma paused and turned to face her again. "Eh?"  
  
"You are cursed, by Jusenkyo?"  
  
"Oh, you know about that do you? Good, it'll save me a headache later on. Let's get moving." He turned away from her and started walking again.  
  
Shampoo nodded silently and followed after him. The cursed springs were a tragic story indeed. A great elven warrior met her death in the valley; she cursed the land around her to prevent her attacker's escape. Only one of the drow who had slain her had escaped the valley. Unfortunately for him, an envoy of elves waited for him at the valley's exit.   
  
---------------  
  
The group walked for the rest of the day in relative silence. There wasn't much to see, other than a few run down villages. Finally they stopped for the night.  
  
Ranma dumped a pile of wood in the center of the campsite. The wood was all long since dead and dried. She looked at him in silence for a moment and finally spoke up.  
  
"You only took dead wood from the forest?"  
  
"It would take too long for fresh wood to burn, less smoke that way too. It's an old thieves trick," replied the boy with a shrug.   
  
Ryu appeared with a tiny dead deer slung across his shoulders and smirked at the pair. "Well, I see you two are getting along all right."  
  
"Shut up Ryu," grumbled Ranma as he started the fire. He held his palm over a few twigs and an orange glow formed in his palm. Shampoo watched in astonishment for a moment and shifted slightly. It was uncomfortable for her to watch a human like him. It just looked weird.  
  
"Oh now what?" snorted the pigtailed youth.  
  
"You wield an elven blade, take only dead wood from the forest, and light a fire without invoking a spell. You are still in tune with the natural force! How can this be? Only an elf would be able to do such a thing."  
  
"She didn't seem all that upset that you turn into one, why would this bother her so much?" commented Ryu as he looked at his long time companion. The pair seemed to be ignoring her presence.  
  
"I dunno. I guess I just got a few extra perks from that curse is all. It's no big deal."  
  
Shampoo nodded at the explanation. Ranma had not directed his answer at her, but it was enough. It made sense in an odd way. Once one's spirit was connected to the life force of the planet, nothing could take it away. That was one of the things that made the drow so dangerous to her kind. They represented nature as well, in their own way. Elves were the light, life, and balance. Drow were their opposites, the shadows, death, and chaos.  
  
"We should pass Antioch tomorrow. We don't need supplies, so I doubt if we'll need to stop there. It's best if we go around to avoid any problems," said Ryu as he started to gut and clean the animal.  
  
Shampoo noticed that he did not discard the innards, but placed them inside a medium sized leather pouch. He noticed her gaze and smirked again. "Waste not, want not."  
  
"Indeed," commented the elven princess.  
  
"We've learned a lot in our travels. You aren't the first elf we've ever come across you know."  
  
"Yes. I recall a sacred jewel that went missing within the mountain village of Darut a few months back."  
  
"Actually, we've never stolen from elves. That one can be chalked up to the wraiths that live near the place. They like shiny objects, I'm not sure why, especially since they hate light," said Ryu lazily.  
  
"How would you know?"  
  
"This guy I know named Shinosuke. The elves hired him to get it back for them. He couldn't remember half the story, but you don't forget an encounter with the wraiths." Ranma laughed out loud at the memory and fed the fire. She noticed him casually flick a beetle off the dead wood into the dirt and it scurried away unharmed. A small smile formed on her lips. He seemed unaware of his connection to the great magical force of the world, yet he still respected it unlike any human she had ever seen.  
  
------------  
  
After their meal they sat around the flames together and merely absorbed the warmth of the flames. Ryu shuddered as a wind blew across the forest clearing they had chosen as their campsite.  
  
"Something up?" said Ranma as he noticed the other boy's discomfort.  
  
"I don't know. It seems as if this is going too smoothly."  
  
"Count your blessings then," replied the pigtailed boy with a shrug.  
  
"It is going to rain tomorrow," said Shampoo. Her nose wrinkled slightly as she lay back with her arms folded behind her head.  
  
"Yeah, the wind is changing. We're going north, so we'll have to stop somewhere along the way and get some new clothes."  
  
"The dwarves at the foot of the mountains would be the best place to find what we need," commented Ryu.  
  
"Bah, dwarves," grumbled Shampoo.  
  
"We've got enough money. They shouldn't be too troublesome." Ranma smirked at the face she made. "Mountain elves don't seem to mind them too much."  
  
"They don't have the same habits as us. Dwarves are pests; they tunnel under our homes and destroy the forest in their wake. 'Children of the Earth' indeed."  
  
Both men snickered slightly at this and lay back against the ground to get some sleep. "I'm more worried about how much they'll charge us for supplies," commented Ranma. "Dwarven goods are expensive."  
  
"Well, they won't charge us too much I'll wager," said Ryu as he closed his eyes. "They don't know who we are, but they'll know our trade by our clothes if nothing else. Having her with us will help as well; the mountain elves keep a good relation with them. If she keeps her mouth shut about who she is, they might not know the difference."  
  
"Maybe we should go alone Ryu. The dwarves will smell the forest on her. They'll charge us an arm and a leg then. I don't want to attract attention by stealing any more than we have too."  
  
"Sounds good to me," snorted Shampoo. The idea of entering a dwarven village was not appealing to her.  
  
"We have a few days before we have to worry about it. Get some sleep, we've got a long hike ahead of us," snapped Ryu in irritation as he rolled onto his side away from them.  
  
"Jeez, bite my head off will ya?" said Ranma as he closed his eyes and went to sleep.  
  
Shampoo stayed awake a short time longer and listened to the sounds of the forest around her. The insects' chirps and the nocturnal birds' cries filled the air. Eventually, she drifted off as well.  
  
--------------  
  
Akane stood watching the night sky over the imperial city. Her face was stern and an air of menace seemed to surround her as she simply stared off into the distance. Her mood was less than pleasant despite the view. A few floors over her, her sister was visiting Herb again. Her hand reached up slowly and fingered the tiny scar on her cheek for a moment. It was best not to think of things like that. Still, it haunted her.  
  
"I'll kill that lizard yet," she growled quietly. There was no doubt that Lime and Mint had both heard her. Their hearing was exceptional, they made no indication that they had and remained in her room standing guard by the door lazily.   
  
She turned to look at the pair. They were totally relaxed from the looks of them. Neither seemed to be particularly alert, they both looked half-asleep. Had any other guard been found that way she would have killed them herself where they stood. She smirked as she realized that they were much more alert than they let on. The pair was probably more intelligent than they let on as well. Herb seemed to enjoy mind games like that. She sighed and turned her gaze back to the sky.  
  
By her door, Lime and Mint quietly conversed amongst themselves.  
  
"Hey Lime." The wolfen boy poked his companion in his side lightly.  
  
"What is it Mint?" grumbled the tiger boy with a small sigh.  
  
"Do you think we'll get to see her titties?"  
  
"Probably not, she always makes us leave before she changes clothes." Lime's brow furrowed slightly in frustration at the mere thought.  
  
"Maybe she'll forget?" said the wolf boy hopefully.  
  
"That would be nice, but I doubt it," said Lime.  
  
"Yeah. It isn't fair that Prince Herb gets to see Nabiki's titties. He should let us see them too."  
  
"You're right. It isn't fair. He's really greedy. He's also the prince, so he's allowed to be greedy. There's nothing we can do. You remember the last time we asked him if we could see her titties too don't you?"  
  
The wolf boy shuddered at the thought and hung his head. "With all these girls around, you'd think we'd get to see somebody's titties."  
  
"Yeah, it's just like when we were still the Musk. Only there are girls now, and they still won't let us see their titties. We aren't even allowed to touch them."  
  
"I don't understand. Hey, Lime?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Has anyone told you what that word 'pervert' means yet? Everyone calls us that, but I still don't understand."  
  
"I dunno. Maybe it's a weird word for a beast-man?"  
  
"Or maybe it's someone who's not allowed to look at titties!" said Mint with a tiny twinge of fear in his voice.  
  
"Boy, that would be bad wouldn't it?" said Lime as he tried to think. He glanced down at the ground with his hand under his chin and noticed a pair of black boots just in front of him.  
  
Both men looked up to see Akane staring at them from about two feet away. She had a wineglass in her hand and she was frozen in the act of pouring herself a drink. Her eyes were wide and she was almost dumbstruck at the two idiots in front of her. She crushed the metal cup in her hands and started to shake slightly.  
  
"Both of you. Get out now." she growled between her teeth.  
  
"Uh oh." said the pair in unison as they scrambled towards the door. They vanished into the hallway and slammed the door behind them. Akane threw her cup onto the floor and snorted in disgust as she slumped down in a nearby chair.  
  
"Idiots."  
  
-------------  
  
Tatewaki Kuno strolled down the halls of the palace with a smirk on his face. In his hands was a dozen roses. He was dressed in finely woven purple clothing with a short yellow cape fluttering behind him; his sleeves were puffed out on his shoulders with a red trim around them. On his head was a ridiculously expensive hat with a four-foot feather bobbing in the air above him. He paused when he noticed two figures emerge from his beloved's room.  
  
"Knaves! Who might you be to enter the Lady Akane's room?!"  
  
Lime and Mint turned to see a long blade of steel pointed at them.  
  
"Hey, it's Lord Kuno," said Mint in surprise.  
  
"Ah, it is the lovely Lady Tendo's servants."  
  
"Lord Herb's servants," corrected Lime.  
  
"Yes, whatever. Stand aside so that I might see your mistress this night! I have come offering my undying love!"  
  
"Uh, no," said Lime.  
  
"I beg your pardon. Did you just refuse the order of a noble of the House of Kuno?" The blade was pointed at them again.  
  
Neither of the beast men looked particularly worried at the moment. Lime stepped forward and bowed his head. "Pardon Lord Kuno, but our orders are to not let you through. You understand of course."  
  
"She ordered you not to let me through?"  
  
Both of the men in front of Kuno nodded.  
  
"How odd. I wonder what her reasoning could be? He thought about it as hard as he could for a moment. I have it! She wishes to keep me away to protect her purity! Surely the pure heat of passion would draw such a maiden to me! Fear not Akane Tendo! We shall wed on the morn, thus securing your honor and purity!" He attempted to rush by the pair but was held back easily. "What is this? Why do you still keep me from my love?"  
  
"Because our orders haven't changed," said Mint with a shrug.  
  
"Very well! I release you from your bond! Now let me through!"  
  
"Sorry, only Lady Akane can do that. She ordered us to tell you that too," said Lime.  
  
Kuno slumped forward and hung his head. "Curses! Why must the Lady Akane be so good at playing hard to get! I have it! I shall fetch my grappling hook and climb up to her sill proclaiming my undying love!" The man rushed off into the halls of the castle.  
  
"Does he even know that he just said that out loud?" asked Mint.  
  
"Probably not. Come on, we have to stop him before he gets himself killed."  
  
------------  
  
Less than five minutes later Kuno climbed up his rope towards Akane's room. His eyes were full of righteous tears as he scaled the palace wall.  
  
"Oh Akane Tendo! Ever since that tournament where you bested the greatest of the Emperor's Knights, and then I allowed my own defeat by your hands! When you revealed yourself to be a noble lady of the court! My heart soared with joy! I shall at last take you as my bride lovely my lady! Come, let us gaze at the moonlight as you whisper tales of my greatness into my waiting ears!"  
  
"That idiot! She'll hear him!" whispered Mint as he clung to the stone wall just outside Akane's room.   
  
Lime was opposite the rope that hung from the windowsill. "I don't think he realizes what will happen if she finds out he's out here."  
  
Kuno reached the window and noticed the pair on either side of him. "Knaves! How could you know of my plans? Surely you must have the keenest of intellects!"  
  
Lime and Mint moved to grab him so they could crawl over to another window and try to stop him from being an idiot for at least the rest of the night. However, another voice stopped them.  
  
"Lime. Mint. Cut the rope."  
  
Both of the beast men looked up to see Akane glaring down at the scene with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Yes mistress," chimed the pair. To say they were disappointed would be a bit of a stretch.   
  
"Wait knaves! I demand that you stop at once!" cried Kuno as he attempted to scramble up the rope.  
  
"Sorry," said Mint.  
  
"You heard the lady," agreed Lime as he nodded and began to saw at the cord with one of his claws.  
  
"Gotta obey the Mistress," said Mint as the rope snapped.  
  
Kuno fell away and landed in the moat with a mighty splash.  
  
"He shouldn't bother us again tonight. You two may retire." Akane turned away from the window and went back into her room again. "I wish the Emperor would have let me pave that section of the moat over like I wanted too."  
  
The two beast men looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before climbing back into the hallway through another window.  
  
------------  
  
Ranma stretched his arms as the party walked along a dirt road early the next morning.  
  
"I still say we should have kept to the forest and fields," grumbled Shampoo.  
  
"Look. The trick to not looking suspicious, is not acting like you don't want to be seen," said Ranma lazily as he strolled ahead of Ryu and Shampoo slightly.  
  
"He is right. We'd have looked suspicious to anyone watching the area sneaking around the woods that way. This is the best way to travel," said Ryu ending the discussion.  
  
The group walked on in silence for a time. The scenery was relatively bland, mostly fields with a few trees spotting the landscape in every direction. Occasionally, they would run across a farm, or a home on the side of the road. Around noon, a rough voice cut through the silence ending the picturesque scene.  
  
"You! Ranma prepare to die!"   
  
The thief dodged as a black and yellow blur slammed into the ground in front of him. "What the?"  
  
Ryu pushed Shampoo back with one hand and drew his broadsword. After a moment he smiled and put it back in his scabbard.  
  
"What is going on?" screamed the elf.  
  
"Nothing. It's just an old friend of Ranma's. There's nothing for us to worry about here."  
  
"Well, if it isn't Good Fang the runt. How ya been?" said Ranma as the dust cleared around the dwarf. The diminutive man held a large hammer in his hands and stepped out of the crater he had created with a vicious looking snarl an his lips. Ranma removed the Katana from his back and tossed it to the side of the road.  
  
"You owe me a sword boy. I want my blade back, and yer hide for stealing it!" snapped the dwarf angrily.  
  
"Oh, you mean that toothpick?" replied Ranma as he spread his feet apart and raised his fists.  
  
"'Tis a fine blade! Fine enough for you to keep it for yourself! Lord Kuno himself had me fashion that blade for him! It was worth two million gold for him!"  
  
"You twerp. Who do you think hired me to steal it? For only ten thousand gold I might add."  
  
"Enough talking!" roared the dwarf as he charged forward with his hammer held high over his head.  
  
At the sidelines Shampoo gasped in shock. "Is he out of his mind? He can't fight a dwarf with his bare hands! That disgusting creature will tear him apart!"  
  
"Yes. If he can hit him," agreed Ryu with a small nod. He watched the fight rather intently.  
  
Shampoo looked at him and blinked. "What?"  
  
"Don't worry, Ranma kind of likes him. He always takes it easy on the runt."  
  
Ranma jumped up as the dwarf slammed his hammer into the ground creating a crater that spread out for about four feet. He landed lightly behind the creature and smirked as he took up his stance again.  
  
"I'll rip you in half when I get my hands on you Ranma!" roared the dwarf as he jumped forward and cleared ten feet. Ranma sidestepped and sent his knee up catching the creature in the gut.  
  
Good Fang snarled and rolled across the ground as he landed. He stood up and shook his head for a moment before spreading his feet and clenching his fists. "I'll get you yet!"  
  
"Talk, talk. You haven't managed to beat me yet runt," taunted Ranma as he jumped towards his opponent.  
  
"Well, Good Fang doesn't forget either!" snarled the dwarf as he fell to his back and kicked up with his feet. Ranma was caught in the chest and thrown up into the air. The dwarf was on his feet in the same instant and swung his hammer in an attempt to catch the pigtailed boy on his way down. Ranma managed to twist in mid air around the strike and actually managed to land feet first in the dwarf's face. Good Fang was slammed into the ground hard.  
  
Ranma jumped away and Good Fang stood up again shaking his head. "That's a good hit, a good hit indeed. Not enough though."  
  
"I didn't think it would be," said Ranma calmly. He took the initiative again and passed just above Good Fang's fist. The pair stood facing away from each other and the dwarf fell to his knees.  
  
"How do you do that?" snarled the dwarf with an angry glare back at his opponent. "I can't even feel the puny poundin of a human, but you..."  
  
Ranma turned to face him and wagged his finger at the dwarf. "That's my little secret."  
  
On the sidelines Shampoo gasped. "Katsutenshin Amaguriken? That's impossible!"  
  
"Huh? Katsu wazzit?" said Ryu as he glanced over to her.  
  
"It is a secret technique within our tribe! It takes elves hundreds of years to learn it. No human could possibly master that technique!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about. Speed punching of that caliber is part of his school of martial arts. It's not some elven technique."  
  
Shampoo looked at him and frowned. "That can't be true. Tell me the name of this style!"  
  
"We have sworn never to reveal the names of our schools. All I can say, is that Ranma's father developed both our schools when he was young, and sealed them. Only years later was Ranma allowed to learn this art."  
  
"And you?"  
  
"We all have our own pasts Princess. We are thieves, so ours is more precious and dangerous to us than most."  
  
Shampoo nodded and turned back to the battle. "I see."  
  
-----------  
  
Ranma dove away from another of the dwarf's kicks. He smirked as he spun around and lashed out at the creature's belly sending it to its knees once again.  
  
"Blast you!" snarled the dwarf. He staggered to his feet again and then fell face first onto the dirt raising a cloud of dust.  
  
Ranma laughed out loud and wiped the sweat from his brow as he sat down against a pile of debris from the battle.  
  
"Should we rob him now?" asked Ryu as he approached.  
  
"Are you kidding? That would piss him off even more," snorted Ranma in reply.   
  
"I'll take that as a yes," said Ryu with a knowing smile.  
  
"Let him be," snapped Shampoo as she pushed him away from the fallen dwarf. "What on earth did you do to get this dwarf so angry with you?"  
  
Ranma smiled and nodded towards Ryu. "We stole this." He held up the pigtailed boy's discarded katana and tossed it back at him.  
  
"That is an elven blade, the design..." started Shampoo. Ranma tossed the weapon to her and she caught it one handed in the air. The weight almost put her nose in the dirt. She let go and sat up with her eyes wide with shock.  
  
"Aye, tis an elven design indeed, but not made by elven hands." Good Fang sat up from his place on the ground. He was slightly delirious at the moment and his dwarven accent showed even more. Name's Good Fang, or Ryoga by the dwarven tongue. I'm a blacksmith by trade."  
  
"A man named Kuno hired me to obtain it for him. I agreed since the price was right, and it seemed difficult enough to steal from a dwarven village. Unfortunately, I was just starting out and didn't realize how dangerous that could be. I hadn't perfected my technique and ol' Nice Teeth here caught me in the act. I got away, and he's been after me ever since."  
  
"Indeed I have! You've been carrying around that blade for almost four years now boy! Give it back to me and I might only maim ye!" Ryoga stood up and fumed angrily at the boy.  
  
"Another time maybe," snorted Ranma casually.  
  
"That job was my retirement money! You..." the dwarf started to shake with anger.  
  
"You dope. You wouldn't have been paid anyway. Lord Kuno hired you to make it!" Ranma turned towards Shampoo's questioning gaze and shrugged his shoulders. "He liked the design of an elven blade, but the toughness of dwarven swords."  
  
"Ranma is correct. If Kuno had not hired him, he would have had you killed rather than pay the money," said Ryu calmly.  
  
Ryoga hung his head and grumbled slightly. He kicked some of the dirt in front of him and squat down. "Tis a matter of principal."  
  
"Don't bother reasoning with him. He's still punch drunk at the moment," commented Ranma.  
  
"I'll show you who's punch drunk whelp!"  
  
"Enough!" snapped Shampoo as she stood between them.  
  
"Out of my way elf girl! I'll crush you as well!" The dwarf backed away though when a bonbori slammed into the ground in front of him. The impact easily matched the crater he had made with his hammer.  
  
"I am not as weak as I appear Child of Earth. Ranma has yet to show you his true power I'd wager, after all, you are still alive."  
  
"Thanks," grumbled the pigtailed boy halfheartedly.  
  
"I've seen you. You carry around that blade as if it does not exist on your shoulder. You are not as weak as most humans, and you are holding back terribly in this battle."  
  
"You've got a good eye," said Ranma carefully.  
  
"That's the same thing I said when we first met boy," said the princess.  
  
"What's she talking about?" said Ryu as he stood between them.  
  
"We met on the street before that whole mess with the staff started. I blew her off cause I thought she was a fortune teller."  
  
"And you were a man at the time?" Ryu looked back at Shampoo. Ranma merely nodded.  
  
"You knew about the two of us, before that test didn't you?"  
  
"That there were two of you? Yes. Who you really were? No."  
  
"All this is real interesting, but I still got screwed, and it's all his fault!" snarled Good Fang as he pointed his finger at Ranma again.  
  
"Stupid, stubborn, dumb..." Ranma was cut off as Shampoo interrupted again.  
  
"What if he paid you for the sword? Two million was it?" She smirked and put her hand on her hip.  
  
"Fine. I'll let him live then." Ryoga nodded in satisfaction. "Isn't good business to let that kind of money get away."  
  
"Oh, and closing your shop so you can hunt down one thief is?" commented Ranma with his arms crossed over his chest.  
  
"That's business principal!" retorted the dwarf angrily. "If you'll pay me for my blade. I'll be on my way!"  
  
"How about if I just give it back?" said Ranma with his eyebrow raised.  
  
"It's no good to me! The buyer is gone! Money or no deal!"  
  
"There never was a buyer fool! He hired me to steal it!" retorted Ranma as he put his face up to the dwarf's.  
  
"Now boys, lets behave for a moment. You will receive payment for the sword, after this job is finished."  
  
"What?" said everyone but Shampoo, she was standing with a confident looking smirk.  
  
"Come now Ranma. You said you weren't going to retire anyway. What good is ten million in gold going to do you?" said the elf.  
  
"I didn't say I'd never retire!" retorted the pigtailed boy.   
  
"Two million. Tis a fair price for the blade, the same as the original deal."  
  
"Ten thousand! The price I was quoted to steal it!" retorted Ranma. "I never got paid for that job either! The jerk tried to double cross me too! Plus, I got stuck with carrying this heavy thing around and you trying to kill me every month or so! Not to mention that guy's weird sister. She was this sorceress chick, and she had a thing for me. Man that was creepy."  
  
  
"One million at least! There's no other blade like that one!"  
  
"Half of that, and nothing more," retorted Ranma.  
  
Ryoga pondered the figure for a moment and sighed. "Deal."  
  
"Finally. Come on, let's go," said Ranma as he turned back to the bewildered looking Ryu and Shampoo.  
  
"Yes lets," agreed Ryoga as he started walking with them.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" said Ryu and Ranma at the same time.  
  
Shampoo giggled into her hand and turned away from the scene.  
  
"I'm staying with you until I get my money!" snapped the dwarf.  
  
"Are you nuts? We aren't going on a mining expedition you little troll!" snapped Ranma.  
  
"Aye. You're off to steal something very valuable," said Ryoga. "I know my place and I won't interfere with you. However, you ain't leaving my sight until I get my gold." Ryoga crossed his arms and glared at the two men.  
  
"Look Happy Tooth or whatever," started Ranma as he threw his hands up in the air.  
  
"That's Good Fang!"  
  
"You don't trust us?" asked Ryu as he knelt down to look Ryoga in his eye. Dwarves were more apt to negotiate with someone they looked in the eyes. Ranma had been staring the runt down for the whole argument. It was an old trader's trick to keep them from losing too much money to the greedy little trolls.  
  
"No, you're thieves!" snapped Ryoga.  
  
"He does have a point," commented Shampoo.  
  
"You aren't helping," said Ranma.  
  
"Just forget about it. We aren't going to talk him out of it," said Ryu as he stood up and started walking again.  
  
"He'll get lost in a day or two anyway," agreed Ranma finally.  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Ryoga as he charged after them.  
  
Shampoo blinked and stared at the man. "He's that Ryoga? The legendary wandering dwarf? He's supposed to be the greatest blacksmith and fighter the dwarven people have seen in ten thousand years! But he's supposed to have the worst sense of direction in all of the three worlds!" She stood up and started after the group again. "Ranma, you are certainly becoming very interesting."  
  
------------  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The group arrives in Joketsuko, and Ranma runs into yet another old friend.  



	5. Default Chapter Title

  
The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 5  
  
A Knight of Bahamut.  
  
Ranma walked with an annoyed scowl on his face. Ryoga had managed to stay with them for almost a week now. The little dwarf refused to let him out of his sight. Shampoo hung back with Ryu for most of the time, while Ryoga walked in the middle of the group just behind them.  
  
"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Ranma asked the diminutive man as he spun around and glared at him.  
  
"No," snorted the dwarf in reply.  
  
"Give it up Ranma, we're stuck with him. No thanks to you I might add," commented Ryu lazily.  
  
"Well, we've just crossed the border to Joketsuko. We should be in the mountains in about half a day or so," commented Shampoo as she ignored their constant squabbling. The pair had come to blows several times over the course of the past few days. Ranma always won of course, but Ryoga would be on his feet a few moments later, and just as irritable as ever.  
  
"Great. That dwarven village should be near the base of the mountains. I think we can make it by nightfall."  
  
"Planning to buy supplies?" asked Ryoga with a snort. "You weak humans aren't dressed for the weather in this area. You'll both freeze before we reach Morid."  
  
"We've dealt with worse. There's no need to try it again though, we've got enough that we should be able to buy some warmer clothing," said Ryu.  
  
"Let's get going," said Ranma as he started forward again.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
A short time later they came upon a small village. It was a human habitation nestled within the hills. It was mostly a few wooden shacks, mixed in with various shops and bars.  
  
"We could buy clothes here," commented Shampoo as she noticed a clothing store with coats and furs in the window.  
  
"Dwarven clothes will keep us warmer. These humans spend most of their time indoors. They mine the mountains near here, but their coats aren't really made for traveling through the mountains. Dwarves live in the cold and travel across the terrain regularly. I'll admit they spend more time in the caves at home though." Ryoga proudly boasted about the dwarven goods they could buy later.  
  
Ranma sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's right."  
  
A voice halted the group. "Travelers! Hold!"  
  
The group turned to see a figure standing behind them. He was dressed in silver armor and had a white cloth draping across the front of his armor with a black dragon embroidered across it. A heavy looking lance about twice the size of him rose into the air with a shining silver blade on top of it.  
  
"Who the heck are you?"  
  
"I am a Knight of Bahamut. You must remain in this village for a time I'm afraid. The passage to the north has been blocked."  
  
"So what? We'll manage," snorted Ranma lazily.  
  
"You do not understand sir, passage has been ordered halted by the order of the Knights of Bahamut. You must remain here by the authority of the Queen herself." The figure stepped towards them.  
  
"We don't have time to wait for you to move a rock slide," snapped Shampoo. "We are on a mission for the Elder of the Forest Elves."  
  
"Your companions are dressed as thieves," noticed the armored figure.  
  
"What of it? We haven't stolen anything from this village," said Ranma casually. "We don't have time for these delays."  
  
"I see. However, it is no rockslide that bars your path. The goblins of the northern reaches have created a roadblock. Their master is said to be a powerful beast as well. I ask that you wait until we have vanquished them before you proceed. It is for your own safety." The knight was quite insistent and lowered his spear.  
  
"I don't see any other knights in this village," said Shampoo. "It does not appear to be garrisoned either. Are you planning to vanquish these goblins alone?"  
  
"What of it?" said the knight with a casual wave of his hand.  
  
"Even the greatest knight cannot hope to vanquish an entire legion of goblins on his own. I think our wait will be far too long."  
  
"Reinforcements approach from Morid. They will be here in three days," admitted the knight. "I have assessed the situation and prevent travelers from moving on since the danger is too great. Surely you noticed the caravans that lie outside the village. They are waiting for the road to clear before moving on."  
  
"I thought I saw a few large camps on the other side of town when we approached," said Ryu.  
  
"Does it matter? We can sneak by a few goblin troops without any problems," said Ranma lazily.  
  
"You are fools to continue," said the knight with a warning tone.  
  
"Bah! Things like this are what I do for a living." Ranma dismissed him and started walking again.  
  
The knight watched them for a moment. "I cannot allow that," he said finally.  
  
"You plan to stop us?" said Ranma with his eyebrow cocked. Ryu growled and stood behind him.  
  
"Ranma, perhaps it would be wise to wait. I don't want to fight if we don't have too. We do have two more weeks to reach Morid," said Shampoo as she put herself between them.  
  
The knight went rigid. He lowered his lance until the tip was almost touching the ground. "Your name is Ranma?"  
  
"What of it?" said the thief as he leveled an evil looking glare at Shampoo.  
  
"It cannot be," whispered the knight as he took a step forward. "You are dead!"  
  
Ranma lowered his hands slightly and paused. "Who are you? What do you know of me?"  
  
"Ranchan... is it really you?"  
  
The thief's eyes went wide. He jumped back and lowered his defense immediately. "I know you. You! It can't be!"  
  
The group stood and watched the pair in confusion. Ryu walked up to his partner and grabbed his shoulder. "You know this guy?"  
  
"Ucchan? I hadn't thought about it in years. We were... best friends."  
  
The knight removed his helmet and rushed up to Ranma throwing his arms around him. His long brown hair was tied in a ponytail and fell down his back. He was as young as Ranma was. "It is you! How can it be? How did you survive? I feared the worst when I heard of your father's death! Everyone thought you had died with him!"  
  
Ranma's face softened. "I almost did. How have you been Ucchan?"  
  
"How do you think? I became a Knight of Bahamut!" The young knight laughed. "Just like we imagined ourselves when we were young. It was our dream to be the greatest knights."  
  
Everyone looked at Ranma. The boy scratched the back of his head and laughed uncomfortably. "Well, we were just kids then, after all."  
  
"Come on! I'll buy you dinner! You must tell me what happened! Why are you disguised as a thief? What country do you work for?" The man began to drag Ranma away by his arm.  
  
+++++++++  
  
The whole party sat around a table inside a rather clean looking restaurant. Ukyo beamed as he sat next to his old friend "We were such good friends! When we were children Ranma and his father came to stay with my family and me. They were there for about a year. I believe Uncle Genma was teaching him his family school of martial arts at the time. Ranma and I would spend many happy hours playing in the courtyard pretending we were knights. Oh, such happy memories. I never truly intended to become a knight to tell the truth."  
  
Ranma sunk lower into his chair as she told her story. Both Ryoga and Ryu were giving him amused stares. "That was a long time ago."  
  
Ukyo's face hardened suddenly. "When I heard that he and his father had been killed, I became driven to fulfill our childhood dream. I began to train to become the greatest knight. That way I could honor his memory and fulfill his dream." She turned to look at him. "I'm glad I did it, even though you are still alive."  
  
"I see. Well partner, it seems you've been holding back on me," snorted Ryu crudely.  
  
"I think it's rather beautiful," said Shampoo as she gave the embarrassed Ranma a sympathetic smile.  
  
"I hoped you'd think that!" agreed Ukyo cheerfully. "Tell me Ranchan, how are things? What country do you serve?"  
  
Everyone at the table was at a loss for words. "I uh..." stammered Ranma.  
  
"Don't tell me, you are not a knight?" Ukyo looked concerned. "Have you not been able to? Surely, the loss of your family has not prevented it? I understand. I would be glad to help you obtain a position with the Knights of Bahamut! Just say the word!"  
  
Ryu fell over in his seat with laughter. Ryoga quickly followed behind him, even Shampoo was having trouble keeping her amusement disguised.  
  
"Hey! It ain't funny damn it!" snapped Ranma irritably. He turned towards his old friend and sighed. "Look Ucchan, I'm not a knight. I don't really want to be one. I'm on an important mission right now though. I need to get through that pass. I can take care of myself, a few hundred goblins ain't nothing for me to worry about."  
  
Ukyo's face fell slightly at his words. "Oh, I see. Surely you are a formidable warrior to boast that way though."  
  
Ryoga nodded at this. "He's strong enough to stand up to a dwarf bare handed. I don't care for him much, but I'll admit that for him at least."  
  
Ukyo was impressed. "That is high praise indeed."  
  
"He's done nothing that warrants high praise," commented Ryu lazily. Ranma kicked him in his shin under the table and glared at him.  
  
All of a sudden the Knight seemed embarrassed. "Oh, I apologize. I have been incredibly rude! I am Ukyo Kuonji, Knight of Bahamut."  
  
Ryu seemed to freeze and stared at her. "Did you just say Kuonji?"  
  
He looked at him and smiled. "That is correct. Ranma, why don't you introduce me to your companions."  
  
The pigtailed thief sighed and nodded. "This is Ryu Kumon, my long time partner. These two are Shampoo, the princess of the forest elves." Shampoo nodded her head. "And this fat fool is Good Fang. A dwarven blacksmith."  
  
"Oi," said Ryoga as he took a large gulp of ale.  
  
"My. Quite impressive Ranchan," said Ukyo.  
  
"You're the knight who slew Taimaht? The dragon lord?" Everyone looked at Ryu as he said this.  
  
"I wasn't alone, I had a lot of help," replied the knight modestly.  
  
"Hey! That's great Ucchan!" said Ranma as he slapped the man on his back.  
  
"Not really, only two of us survived that encounter," said the man with a heavy sigh.  
  
"Oh," said Shampoo as she put her hand over her mouth. "I remember that story. Quite tragic."  
  
"Yes. Only myself, and my squire survived," agreed the man.  
  
"Squire?" Ranma looked up at her and blinked.  
  
"Yes. His name is Konatsu. He is quite strange, but very capable." The knight blushed for a moment.  
  
"Is he here?" said Ranma without thinking.  
  
"Yes, he is resting at the moment. We have a room here. I'd like it if you stayed as well, if only for tonight. I believe that you can get through those goblins, if only because it is you. You were always the better warrior between us."  
  
Everyone looked at Ranma for a moment. "Thanks Ucchan. I don't see why not. We could all use a real bed for the night I suppose."  
  
"Bah! What's wrong with the ground?" snapped Ryoga.  
  
"You can sleep outside if you want too," said Shampoo as she leveled her gaze on him.  
  
"What? Aren't there enough trees out there for you?" retorted the dwarf.  
  
Shampoo turned her nose up at him and snorted.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Late that evening, Ranma stood watching the stars again from the open window of his room. He and Ukyo had agreed to share a room together. Konatsu had not awaken and was sleeping in his own room. Despite the road block, the hotels were not crowded. They had managed to secure enough rooms to hold everyone. Most of the blocked travelers were merchants, they opted to camp out with their goods rather than leave them alone.  
  
"I love the stars," commented Ranma with a wistful look on his face.  
  
"Yes, they are beautiful," agreed Ukyo. He was sitting in a small wooden chair beside him. "Ranchan, I've missed you."  
  
"I know Ucchan. I'm sorry," he hung his head slightly.  
  
"You could have come to my family for refuge you know. We would have been glad to take you in."  
  
"To tell the truth, I haven't had much time to think about my past. It never occurred to me to look for you."  
  
"I see, you had forgotten then," the man hung his head slightly.  
  
"No, I thought about the two of us a lot. Just never in that way, you know? I'll always be your friend Ucchan. I've just been so busy, just surviving was a lot of work at first."  
  
"I... understand. I still love you Ranchan."  
  
"Huh?" Ranma's head turned so fast he almost snapped his neck.  
  
"I used to think about the way it would be if you lived. The promise you made to me so long ago. You said you'd always protect me."  
  
Ranma relaxed slightly. "Well, you don't really need it now, do you?"  
  
"How can you say that?" snapped the man angrily.  
  
"Huh? What did I say? You're a knight now! That must mean you're real strong right?"  
  
"Damn you, Ranma!" The man grabbed him by the head and kissed him full on the lips. Ranma froze in shock and felt a tongue probe his mouth.  
  
Ukyo released him and stepped back. "I still want you to keep your promise. Make me a woman tonight Ranchan!"  
  
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" cried the repulsed and shocked Ranma as he backed away.  
  
Ukyo removed his armor, dropping it to the floor beside him, and then pulled open his shirt... her shirt. "I still want you to keep your promise Ranchan."  
  
Ranma's mind went into shock. He fell to his knees and simply stared at the girl's breast. He could not think of anything to say or do. He slowly stood up and reached out with his finger. He poked her chest, as if to be certain they were real. "I uh..."  
  
"Oh Ranchan!" Ukyo flung her arms around his neck and kissed him again. This time there was no revulsion, only pure and uncertain confusion. Ranma staggered back and fell into a table. A pitcher of water left for washing toppled over and landed on his head.  
  
A blood curdling scream awakened everyone in the inn.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ryu stood in the doorway with Shampoo and Ryoga staring at the scene in shock.   
  
"Jusenkyo? A place with cursed springs?" Ukyo looked confused. She still had her pike pointed at Ranma from across the room. The poor red-haired elf girl had her back to the wall and was shaking uncontrollably.  
  
"That's right," said Ryu with a small nod. He had yet to take his eyes away from the girl's chest. "Um, You're not a guy?"  
  
Ukyo finally noticed her unclothed state. "Auuuggghhh!" Ryu ducked under a thrown vase and quickly vacated the room. Ryoga followed quickly behind them.  
  
"Kuonji, please calm down," said Shampoo as she stepped forward.  
  
"You get out too! Pervert!" screamed Ukyo as she covered her chest.  
  
"I am not cursed!" snapped Shampoo angrily. She pulled open her own shirt and showed it to the girl.  
  
Ranma's eyes became locked in place. "I see nothing. I'm a girl too. I see nothing..."  
  
Shampoo glared at Ranma for a moment and covered herself again.  
  
"All right. So what is this? What the hell is going on?"  
  
"It happened when Pop was killed," said the redhead. She looked away from them and finally managed to stand up again. "Look, I'm going to stay with Ryu tonight. We can talk about this later."  
  
The two girls nodded at this. Ranma closed the door behind her.  
  
+++++++++  
  
"Ranma! You old dog! I never knew you had it in you!" roared Ryu. He slapped his partner on her back and chuckled.  
  
"Bah! How could you? That woman ain't got no meat on her! Not even a single hair on her chest! Nothin to grab on too!"  
  
Ranma and Ryu looked at him for a moment and turned away in disgust.  
  
"Look. I thought she was a guy! All these years, I never knew! She was a real tomboy when we were little!"   
  
"So, you told her you'd marry her?" Ryu raised his eyebrow slightly.  
  
"I didn't mean it that way! I thought she was a guy, and we were good friends! She was always asking if we'd be together forever, and if I'd protect her when we got older. I didn't think she meant it like that!"  
  
"But, you did tell her these things? Right?" Ryu smirked and leaned back on one of the beds. Ryoga was already spread out on the floor. Ranma was sitting on the other bed and looking at the ceiling in frustration.  
  
"Yeah. How the hell am I going to get out of this?" Ranma fell onto her back and lay spread out on the sheets.  
  
"Do you want to? She didn't look that bad to me," commented Ryu.  
  
"You shut up! That's my best friend!" snapped Ranma as she sat up.  
  
"Well, what are you going to do about her?" asked Ryu calmly.  
  
"Run like hell, that's what. We've got a mission. I'll just take off and not come back after it's over."  
  
"Great plan," said Ryoga with a satisfied nod. "I did the same thing a few years ago. If the wench ever finds me again, I'll just tell her I got lost."  
  
"You see! Ryoga's been following us for about four years now! It'll work!"  
  
Ryu shrugged and lay back down on the sheets. "Your funeral."  
  
"So, you are a coward after all," Everyone in the room jumped up as a new figure stood in the doorway. It was a young girl of about sixteen. She had long black hair and was dressed in a simple looking dress. A short sword hung off of her back.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" snapped Ranma.  
  
"I am Konatsu, lady Ukyo's squire."  
  
The men looked at each other for a moment. Finally, Ryu spoke up. "How long have you been standing there?"  
  
"Long enough. I like your plan. It will hurt her, but she'll get over it. I couldn't stand the thought of her being with a coward like you. I'll allow it, just this once. Normally I'd kill anyone who would hurt her like that. I don't think she'd like that very much right now."  
  
"I'm glad you agree," snorted Ranma angrily.   
  
"If I ever see you again after that, I will kill you."  
  
"I don't think you're strong enough for that little girl," commented Ryu lazily.  
  
"I'm stronger than I look," replied the girl.  
  
"Konatsu... Ukyo mentioned you. Wait a minute... you're a guy?" Ranma turned green and stared at the figure in the doorway.  
  
"So are you."  
  
"Not at the moment kid," snorted Ranma as she thrust out her chest.  
  
Konatsu narrowed his eyes at this display. "Whatever. Just make sure you leave tomorrow."  
  
"Why that little! I'll show her!" snarled Ranma as she started to get out of bed.  
  
"Shut up and go to sleep. Do you want to end up married?" snapped Ryu.  
  
Ranma paused and stared at him for a moment. "Not really, but I can't just let him get away with that!"  
  
"He is correct. It is a matter of professional pride now," agreed Ryoga.  
  
"Who asked you?" snapped Ryu.  
  
"I'll show that brat! He won't get away with talking to me that way! We're going into the mountains tomorrow regardless. I will come back though, I'm not going to leave Ucchan to that punk!" Ranma clenched her fists and smiled.   
  
+++++++++++++  
  
In the hallway, Shampoo nodded to the young boy. "You did that on purpose didn't you?"  
  
Konatsu gave her a blank stare and continued walking. "Lady Ukyo's happiness is all that matters to me. Regardless of whether or not it is with me. I owe her more than I can repay."  
  
"I see." Shampoo gave him a small wink and went back into her room.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
"Well, good morning, Ranchan," said Ukyo with a small blush on her cheeks as she saw her beloved exit his room. She was wearing her armor once again. Konatsu stood beside her and gave him a distasteful frown.  
  
"Hi," said the boy nervously. He had just changed back into a boy again and his hair was still wet. "We'll be leaving soon. It was nice seeing you again Ucchan."  
  
"Yes it was," agreed Ukyo cheerfully.  
  
Ryu emerged from the room looking incredibly tired. "Who the hell's idea was it to sleep with a dwarf in the room? I thought the whole room was shaking!"  
  
"Ha ha! That's the snore of a real dwarf all right!" Ryoga strolled out of the room and beamed cheerfully.  
  
Shampoo staggered out of her own room with a scowl on her face. "Great, a morning dwarf." She was dressed, but still looked half asleep.  
  
"Well, lets get going," said Ukyo cheerfully.  
  
"Let's?" Ranma looked at Ryu quizzically.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked Kumon with his arms crossed.  
  
"I'm taking you through that pass. I won't let my Ranchan do something so dangerous on his own. Konatsu will stay here and guard the town. When the reinforcements arrive, he'll clean up the mess."  
  
"Uh, no," said Ryu dryly.  
  
Ukyo held up her spear and smirked at him. "Care to try and stop me?"  
  
"Through the pass and nothing more," said Ryu.  
  
"You're going to Morid aren't you? Getting there will be easier with a Knight of Bahamut with you."  
  
Ranma started to protest, but finally hung his shoulders. "She's right. I hate to say it, but the place will be crawling with soldiers. We aren't likely to get very far before someone stops us along the road. Plus we have to get across the mountains first."  
  
"I know the way. There's a pass that merchants use. Otherwise you'll just have to climb over them. It's the only way through. That's where we'll run into the goblins."  
  
"We do know where we're going, but it will be easier with a guide," admitted Shampoo.  
  
Ranma looked at Ukyo again. "Don't you have a duty here?"  
  
"No. I discovered the goblins while traveling. I sent a message with the help of a traveling witch. I wasn't ordered here, and used my own authority to stop travel until the goblins are dispersed."  
  
"All right then. We'd better go." Ryu walked outside the hotel followed by his companions. Ranma quickly caught up with him as they walked through the streets towards the edge of town. "We'll be at that dwarf village in a few hours."  
  
"I know. It isn't too far away. We both know our way to Morid, we've been there enough times."  
  
"Let's hope 'Miss Holy Knight' here will let us go about our business once we reach the city," commented Ranma.  
  
"We'll just act like we're moving on to Northern Joketsuko. It shouldn't be to hard to get her to stay in Morid until we return." Ryu looked back at their new companion and sighed. "We're going to have to behave ourselves for a while. You know I hate that."  
  
"Great," muttered Ranma.  
  
"Are you really planning on coming back to her again? It isn't like you to do something like that just to spite that little cross dresser." Ryu paused for a moment and blinked. "Never mind, it is just like you."  
  
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean!" growled Ranma.  
  
"Nothing, just forget about it," said Ryu calmly.  
  
"Like hell! Tell me what you meant by that!" snapped Ranma.  
  
A few feet behind them Ukyo turned to Shampoo. "Are they always like this?"  
  
"Yes. They are very good friends," said Shampoo cheerfully. "Although, neither of the idiots will admit that."  
  
"Oh my. This is going to be a long trip isn't it?" Ukyo hung her head.  
  
"Please don't feel too badly, but they haven't even started yet. Ryoga hasn't said his piece yet."  
  
"All three of them are this bad?"  
  
"No. It's much worse normally."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Goblin Pass!  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  



	6. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 6  
  
The Goblin Path.  
  
Ukyo cheerfully walked beside Ranma as the group traversed along the path that would lead them into the foothills of the mountains. They had left the village no more than an hour before.  
  
"How many goblins are we looking at here?" said Ryu as he approached the pair. Ryoga and Shampoo caught up and kept stride close to them to listen to the conversation.  
  
"Probably around a thousand of them. I'm not certain. They've managed to blockade the entire area." Ukyo's face hardened for a moment as she said this.  
  
"That's an unusual maneuver. Goblins aren't very smart, but they usually know enough to leave human settlements alone." Ranma looked thoughtful for a moment. "Maybe there's a nest nearby? They are pretty territorial. It could be they don't know where they've nested."  
  
"That's a possibility," agreed Shampoo. Her face told them that she was skeptical about the idea.  
  
"I don't think so. I think it's deliberate. Otherwise they wouldn't have a higher beast lording over them," commented Ryu.  
  
"You're probably right. I'm betting there's a sorcerer behind this. A pretty strong one too. Goblins don't like people much, but they aren't the type to make blockades. Cutting off this road will put economic strain on Joketsuko. That has the earmarks of a magic user on it." Ranma sighed and kicked a stone that lie in his path.  
  
"Someone's trying to put pressure on the queen. Maybe it's the Emperor? He's coming here under a diplomatic pretense after all," said Shampoo.  
  
"I don't think so. His intentions are peaceful from what I've heard. Something about an alliance," commented Ukyo. "How do you know about that anyway? It's supposed to be a secret."  
  
"We have ways of finding these things out," said Ranma lazily. "In any case, I think that Ukyo is right. The Emperor would know that the knights here could clear out a blockade like this one easily."  
  
"So we're dealing with someone that is both stupid and strong?" snorted Ryoga. "Sound's easy enough. I'm not in any hurry to engage these beasts. My understanding is that our mission lies elsewhere."  
  
"Right. We don't have the time to deal with this. The knights will handle it when they arrive," agreed Ranma.  
  
Ukyo looked at him for a moment and then glanced away.   
  
Ryu took note of this and smirked. "What? Did you think we'd rush headlong into the hoards? We told you we wanted to sneak by."  
  
"I know. I just don't know if we'll be able too. The dwarf village is just ahead. Perhaps we can get some information there?"  
  
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Ranma. "No point in rushing into things. We don't have much time, but we have some."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Lightning crashed around the tall dark tower that stood on one of the cliffs in the mountain range. It was a twisted and old looking structure. Dark clouds formed just above it giving it an air of menace, the sky around the area was clear though.   
  
Inside the castle, the trader's route could be seen from the balcony far below. A dark cloaked figure stood watching with an evil glee in his eyes as the swarm of dark green goblins could be seen on the road below, even from the height where he stood.  
  
"Excellent." He turned away and walked into a large room that was covered in shadows despite the roaring fire that had been made in the giant fireplace. Long tables full of bottles and bookshelves full of magical objects and books lined the walls. In the center of the room was a round table with a crystal ball resting in its center. He sat down in front of it and smiled. "Everything is going according to plan. Soon the Queen's knights will fall, and I will rule Joketsuko with an iron fist."  
  
He waved his hands and a holographic image of a figure dressed in black armor stood glaring back at him. "I shall prove myself to you. Soon you will sit at my side as my queen!"  
  
"Sorcerer," a deep booming voice echoed through the room as the image vanished and was replaced by a reptilian pair of eyes.  
  
"Ah, my dear friend," said the wizard pleasantly.  
  
"When will I have my revenge? How much longer must I wait?" snarled the beast.  
  
"Patience my old comrade. The Knights of Bahamut will come to you in two days time. We shall slay their legions easily with your help. After that, I shall take control of the Queen's throne. Then our contract will be complete and you can return to whatever it is that you do."  
  
"You are certain that she will be with them?" snarled the beast.  
  
"I cannot say. However, she will come eventually. Especially after they find out about you. Have patience, surely you have learned that over the eons."  
  
"I have indeed, but mine grows thin wizard. I have brought you the power you have desired. Now you must fulfill your part of the bargain."  
  
"Calm yourself, Yumatano Orochi. Soon the death of your master will be avenged, and I will rule all of Joketsuko." The wizard chuckled to himself for a moment and the reptilian eyes vanished.  
  
"See to it that you do not fail me sorcerer," said the voice, as it faded as well.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood and gaped at the scene in front of him in shock. The group was sitting behind a large boulder in the path. They stared in shock as the goblins roamed freely through the remains of the dwarven village. They were small creatures, a head shorter than Ryoga. They all had dark green skin and wore light armor. Most of them had large noses and long pointed ears. They looked scraggly and thin, with a hint of their feral nature easily seen in their blood red eyes. Many of them carried spears and daggers, others were unarmed. They were dangerous even without weapons. Sharp teeth and claws, bolstered by their sheer numbers.  
  
"Damn it! This is worse than I thought! If they had the manpower to do this, then they must be much more powerful than I had thought."  
  
"This isn't a few thousand goblins. There's something much bigger at work here," said Ryu as he pointed to several large holes in the caves. There were a lot of burn marks as well. The village was made up of dug in tunnels within the mountain. The tunnels would have hundreds of large caverns dug into them to create the dwarven hovels and businesses.   
  
"A dragon!" muttered Ryoga harshly. He was holding his war hammer tightly in his grasp and wringing his hands on the handle. His face was contorted into a mask of pure anger.  
  
"This is much worse than I imagined," agreed Shampoo. "We have to find a way around this. The knights must be warned if they hope to win. They might be expecting a griffin, or possibly a giant to lead the goblin hoards, but a dragon will catch them completely by surprise."  
  
"Damn it! I hate playing the hero!" snarled Ryu. He hung his head in resignation and sighed. "We don't have a choice this time."  
  
"Come on Ryu, we'll probably get a reward for this or something," said Ranma in an attempt to calm his friend.  
  
"We'd better!" snapped the thief with another harsh whisper.  
  
"Come on, there is nothing more we can do here," said Shampoo as she began to sneak back down the trail again.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"How are things proceeding Nabiki?" The Emperor's personal aide stood next to the witch as she gazed deeply into a large mirror. The aide was a young woman by the sound of her voice, but the long brown cloak she wore hid her figure. They were in the center of a round stone room with several torches just around a circle that marked the center. The mystical mirror hung suspended in the air by some unseen magical force. There were no windows in the empty room, and the only exit was a large set of doors that led into the hallway.  
  
"Very well I'd say. That idiot, he doesn't realize that I gave him Yumatano Orochi. Joketsuko will lose its best fighting force, even if they succeed they will be severely weakened."  
  
"Exactly what I wanted to hear," said the aide casually.  
  
"Have I ever failed you?" Nabiki smirked and tossed her hair back.  
  
"You still live, do you not?" replied the woman as she walked away.  
  
Nabiki growled under her breath and turned back to the mirror again.   
  
A moment later the doors opened again. The familiar clanking of armor filled the barren room.  
  
Nabiki did not turn to face the newcomer. Nor could she see who it was, an image of the goblin hoard filled the glass instead of a reflection at the moment. "Akane. What can I do for you?"  
  
The image shifted to a wizard overlooking the blockade. Akane paused and stared at him for a moment. "Do I know that man?"  
  
"Probably not. He did serve under father for a short time. I believe he was kicked out of the Wizard's School, and became a soldier. He was far too weak for training as I recall. I don't believe he lasted more than a month. He was in your class though."  
  
"I see. I have come to find out about Joketsuko. My mission is unclear at the moment. I'll need information about the land surrounding Morid, and the path we'll be taking to get there."  
  
"Always the tactician I see. Too bad you were never as good at it as I was. The maps are in my study, you know where it is."  
  
Akane raised her eyebrow slightly at her sister. "Don't act like I didn't need to ask you first."  
  
"All right, I'll humor you. The spells protecting my chambers will be down for an hour, starting now. Get what you need, then give it back to me before you leave."  
  
"Thank you," said the younger girl as she spun around and walked out of the room.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
"This just keeps getting better and better," muttered Ranma as he snuck through the brush just ahead of his companions. He turned back towards them and motioned for them to stop. After a moment they all sat behind a rather large shrub. They were inside a small forest that sat along the side of one of the mountains.  
  
"How does it look?" asked Ryu.  
  
"No good, we're surrounded. Somehow we managed to miss all of these imps. Damn, how could I have been so careless?" Ranma punched the ground in frustration.  
  
"So, we wandered into the middle of their blockade without even realizing it?" said Shampoo.   
  
"That's about the size of it. Now we're stuck. Ryu and I could make it through no problem, but you and armor girl over here won't make it."  
  
"Hey!" cried Ukyo.  
  
"He's right. That armor is polished to a shine. The slightest hint of light and you'll flash like a beacon. We're going to hide out until dark and try to make it through then."  
  
"Hiding in the dark from goblins is a poor idea," commented Ryoga.  
  
"We don't have much choice. That's when we'll be the least visible. I doubt if Ukyo is willing to leave her armor behind in a place like this. Out of all of us, she has the best chance of surviving if we're caught because of it." Ryu leveled a neutral gaze on her for a moment as he said this.  
  
"I have to make it through. We need to warn the other knights."  
  
"About what? We haven't even seen the dragon," pointed out Shampoo.  
  
"She's right. We don't know how big or how strong it is," said Ranma.  
  
"The damage to the village was enough to tell us it can't be ignored," said Ryoga.  
  
"He's got a point. Something that can do that to a dwarven village dug into a mountain can't be taken lightly," agreed Ukyo.  
  
The conversation was cut off suddenly by a high pitched laughing sound. The group turned to see a small goblin jumping up and down excitedly with a leer on its face. The creature was no more than three feet away from them. Its giggles were cut off suddenly, as Ryu cleaved the thing in half with his sword.  
  
"Damn. We've been spotted," he stood up and wiped his blade clean on his pants. "Don't just sit there, come on!"  
  
The group followed quickly behind him. "It's just one goblin!" said Shampoo.  
  
"When was the last time you saw just one goblin?" retorted Ranma as he moved behind her and forced her to run a little faster.  
  
"It could have been a scout!" growled Ryoga as he struggled to keep up with the group.   
  
All protests were cut off as another laugh came from behind them. It was quickly joined by another, and then yet another. After a short time Shampoo dared a quick glance back. The forest was crawling with them. They swarmed just behind them seeming to flow through the trees like a giant slime.  
  
"GO! GO! GO!" cried Ranma as he steered her towards a patch of light through the woods ahead. Shampoo screamed as she was pushed out into a clearing and over the edge of a cliff. Ryu, Ukyo, and Ryoga followed just behind them.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"You! You knew about this lake didn't you?" screamed Shampoo angrily as she sloshed onto the shore of the small lake they had fallen into. The forest was just above them, about three hundred feet straight up. "How dare you scare me like that!"  
  
"We didn't know about the lake," said Ryu calmly as he helped Ukyo stand. He and Ryoga had to help her swim due to her armor. She wore a light chain mail over her shirt now. Her chest armor had been discarded with her helmet though. She gazed back into the water for a moment and turned back onto shore again.  
  
"Bah! I took a bath six months ago! I didn't need another one!" grumbled Ryoga.  
  
Ranma was lying on her back resting while the others climbed onto the tiny beach. "He's right. I had no idea this was here."  
  
"Then why did you jump?" snapped Shampoo.  
  
"Dying from falling hurts less than being eaten," answered Ryoga as he poured the water out of his helmet and placed it back on his head.  
  
Ranma stood up and dusted some of the wet sand from her pants. "Come on, we've got to get moving. It won't take them long to figure out what happened to us."  
  
"We'll be lucky if we don't freeze to death after this! We're soaking wet!" snarled Shampoo as she leveled her gaze on the redheaded elf.  
  
"Well, maybe you'd like it better back in the forest, Princess?" said Ryu as he walked by her.   
  
"We can't waste time building a fire right now. We've got to get the hell out of here. We can worry about our comfort later on," said Ranma calmly.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Deep within the caverns of the dwarven village. Something stirred restlessly. A huge reptilian head rose from the ground in the darkness and snarled. "I sense something... a presence I've not felt since..." The sound of scales scraping against the rock was all that could be heard in the pitch black caverns after that.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Lime and Mint kneeled before Herb and bowed their heads deeply. "I see she has been keeping you two busy. Keeping Lord Kuno away from her is quite a task indeed." He gave them a passing glance as he lounged in his favorite chair. It was a small throne that overlooked a huge model of the imperial city. He had it built several years ago.  
  
"He is persistent," agreed Mint.   
  
"Very well, go back now. Her activities are incredibly dull as of late. I had hoped she would compete in the tournament again this year. I do enjoy teasing her, as well as humiliating her utterly every year. It seems she'll be off with the Emperor during the harvest this time though. Such a pity."  
  
The two beast men bowed deeper and scurried away into the shadows.  
  
"Worried about Akane?" Nabiki appeared from behind the throne and wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
"Worried? Not really. I do like to know what she's doing though. She's a tiny annoyance at times, but one that could grow dangerous very quickly if I don't keep an eye on her."  
  
"So giving her your two lackeys is a tiny bit of worry?"  
  
Herb smiled at this and chuckled. "Don't pretend to be so naive. You and I both know that this is as much to keep an eye on the Emperor while he's away."  
  
"He does have one of us accompany him on almost all of his journeys. Usually, it's Akane or myself. I think Kasumi bothers him slightly."  
  
"You will tell me what I want to know to benefit yourself in the long run. Akane, on the other hand, does not like me very much I'm afraid."  
  
"So it seems. She can be so jealous sometimes." Nabiki laughed coldly for a moment.  
  
"What are you talking about? She's still angry over that little nick I gave her two years ago." Herb drew a line across his cheek with his thumb as he said this.  
  
"Herb. Your naivete astounds me at times. She is merely upset with you because of me. That scar may have started her anger, but her hatred grows more with each passing day we are together. That is how we will control her when the time comes. Soon she will give into her rage, and then she will belong to me."  
  
"You think she's angry because of us?" Herb chuckled at the thought.  
  
"No, there are a lot of reasons behind her anger. That is just the big one."  
  
"Ah well. It does not matter," Herb stood from his seat and rested his hands against the edges of the table that held the model. He gazed into the diminutive expanse of the city and smirked. "What do you think?"  
  
"I don't know. How about a shopping district here?" Nabiki pointed to a large church that sat on a hill to the right of the palace.  
  
"Trying to anger both of your sisters at once?"  
  
"Ha! Kasumi? She'll cry for about a week, but she'll eventually get over it. There's no reason those with money should be forced to buy their goods among the commoners."  
  
Herb gave a distasteful snort. "Sometimes I think you need me around just to keep yourself from going too far. The church will stay. This can go." He pointed to a large residential area.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"Damn you Ranma! This is all your fault!" screamed Ryoga as he hacked through a large tree with a single stroke. The giant pine groaned loudly as it came crashing down into the large group of goblins behind them. They were running desperately away once again, with the vicious little imps right behind them, nipping at their heels.  
  
"My fault?" snapped the pigtailed girl.  
  
"Shut up and run!" screamed Ryu. One of the impish creatures landed on his back and clawed at his face. He grabbed it by the back of the head and tossed it away before it could bite down on his neck.   
  
Shampoo floated past Ranma, she was facing behind them and using levitation magic to flee. One of her battle maces was in her hand and she screamed in rage as she sent a small orange ball of energy into the swarming mass of goblins. Ten of them were vaporized as the magic spell exploded the mass of bodies scattered for a moment before resuming the chase again. The goblins were no more than three feet behind them once again a few seconds later.  
  
"Turn right!" screamed Ranma as she pulled Ryoga and Ryu by their shirts and forced them to follow.  
  
"Where are we going?" cried Ukyo as she staggered for a moment. Several bites and claws barely missed her feet as she managed to keep up.  
  
"That tower!" screamed Ranma in reply. She was pointing to the tall black structure that seemed to teeter precariously on the edge of a thin cliff. It could be seen through the end of the forest a few hundred yards ahead of them.  
  
"That's a wizards tower!" screamed Ukyo.  
  
"So what?" snapped Ryu as he ran next to her.  
  
"It's obvious that's where all of this trouble is coming from," said Shampoo as she blasted ahead of them.  
  
"Gee, you think?" snapped Ryoga as he cut one of the goblins that had managed to get in front of him in half. Without stopping he jumped over the thing's body and burst out of the forest.  
  
The party rushed up the long path that led to the door of the tower. The were about halfway to their destination when Ranma suddenly stopped cold.  
  
"Ranma?" cried Ryu in alarm as he slowed down slightly and looked back. "Hey. Stop running!"   
  
Shampoo was standing with a frown on her face. Ryu realized that Ranma had stopped because he had noticed her standing there in front of them.  
  
"What's going on?" Ukyo slowly turned and gasped for breath.  
  
"The goblins. They've stopped," said Ryoga with a slight growl.  
  
"I've got a bad feeling about this," said Ranma as he glanced around.  
  
"What's the big deal?" said Ukyo. She was glad for the chance to rest.  
  
"Those goblins stopped chasing us for a reason. I think we're about to find out what it is," said Ryu.  
  
"Indeed you are," said a new voice. The group spun around and saw a figure dressed in black robes standing before them.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" snapped Ryoga.  
  
"My name is Hikaru Gosunkugi. I am a black sorcerer. I must say you have done quite well to get this far." The wizard pulled back his hood to reveal a sickly looking boy of about seventeen years in age.  
  
"Hey. I've heard of you!" said Ranma with a dumb look on her face.  
  
"R-really?" squeaked the boy. His face had changed from a scowl to one of pure joy in a matter of seconds.  
  
Ryu nodded his head as the story came back to him. "Yes. You were kicked out of the magic school in Horis. I believe the term was 'Worst base magical power ever seen in a human'. You were the laughing stock of the entire Sorcerer's Guild. It's said he couldn't even use the light spell. No one knows why he even tried to be a wizard."   
  
"That spell was hard!" snapped the boy angrily. "In any case, I've got power to spare now." He chuckled to himself for a moment and looked towards the sky. "This knight. Is she the one you are looking for?"  
  
"Who are you talking to?" said Ukyo as she realized that he was talking about her.  
  
"You are the last survivor of the men who killed Tiamhat?" Gosunkugi's grin widened even more.  
  
"Ranma, I don't like this," said Shampoo as she moved closer to the red haired elf.  
  
"How dangerous could this guy be? I mean, look at him. He's got no magical power, and he's a complete wimp," replied the girl lazily.  
  
"Let's just kill him and get this over with," snorted Ryu.  
  
Ukyo was completely silent during this conversation. She turned towards the wizard and pointed her spear at him. "What if I am the one who killed that hellish beast?"  
  
"I've got a friend who's just dying to meet you. Yumatano Orochi! I summon thee!" He raised his hand into the sky and cackled madly. Lightning slammed into the ground around him. He paused and looked at the burn markings on the ground for a moment. After that, he screamed like a girl and rushed back to his tower.  
  
Ukyo stood completely still. Her eye was twitching slightly and she dropped her spear to the ground. "What the?"  
  
"I told you we didn't have anything to worry about," said Ranma as she walked past her towards the tower. She stopped cold as the ground began to shake beneath them.  
  
It seemed to burst from the ground all around them. Serpentine heads that twisted in and out of one another as they rose higher and higher into the sky for almost four hundred feet. Finally they stopped and separated one by one. Each of them turned towards a different member of the party and roared angrily.  
  
"What the hell is this? How many dragons are there?" cried Shampoo as she backed away from the scene in shock.  
  
"Just one," said Ukyo with a stern look on her face. The silver blade of her spear began to shine with a mystical, white power. "Yumatano Orochi, the legendary eight headed general of Tiamhat."  
  
"Ranma! This is all your fault!" snapped Ryoga as he looked away from the beast for a moment.  
  
"My fault? She's the one who killed his friend!" retorted the redhead as she pointed at Ukyo.  
  
"We wouldn't be here if she wasn't your friend," said Ryu. "I really, really hate playing hero, Ranma!"  
  
"Look out you idiots! Eyes front!" snapped Shampoo as she sent a small spell into the ground at their feet. The three arguing men were thrown apart as one of the serpent heads slammed head first into where they were standing.  
  
"Men," grumbled Ukyo. She charged forward with her spear held over her head.  
  
"What the hell are we supposed to do?" growled Ryoga as he jumped away from one of the jets of flame the beast was breathing at them.  
  
"Kill the monster!" snapped Ryu as he jumped into the air and spread his arms. "Demon God Assault Bomb!" He slashed his arms and kicked, sending three vaccume blades into one of the scaly necks. The beast's head was knocked to the side slightly, but otherwise undamaged. "Where the hell is Ranma?"  
  
"Did that coward run away?" snarled Ryoga as he dodged another strike and swat at one of the massive heads with his battle axe. To the dragon, he was less than a mouthful.  
  
"I can't sense him!" said Shampoo as she looked up in horror. One of the heads was looking down on the battle and not moving. Ukyo was being kept busy by three of them, while the others merely had one of the beast's heads to deal with each. "No! He couldn't have been..." She felt an unfamiliar anger suddenly fill her.  
  
"Ryu! Raise your sword!" called Shampoo as she ran just ahead of the thing's snapping jaws.  
  
"Why?" asked the boy as he did so.   
  
A ball of blue light formed in her hands and she thrust forward. "Strike now!"  
  
Ryu gave a battle cry as he slashed at the beast that had been trying to sneak behind him. It roared in pain as the blade cut into the scales and began to frost over. It reared back and the sword was ripped from Ryu's hands, stuck in the beast's snout. He was sent rolling away across the ground. "That's great! You've managed to piss it off!" he snapped as he jumped to his feet again.  
  
"Ryoga!" said Shampoo. Ryu noticed that both she and the dwarf were looking up at the sky. His gaze followed theirs and he saw what she had meant. The head he had struck was not moving, and had turned a light blue color for about the first ten feet of its neck.  
  
The dwarf grunted as he threw his war hammer. It sailed into the air about two hundred feet up and slammed into the frozen dragon head. The creature shattered like glass. All of the other beasts roared in pain for a moment.  
  
Ryu smiled for a moment and cheered. "Yeah! That got him!" His smile quickly fell away and he started to turn and run away. "Move it!" he cried as he rushed into Ryoga and Shampoo. He managed to grab both of them with his arms and pulled them away as the neck came crashing down just behind them. At the last moment he rolled away and narrowly avoided getting them crushed.  
  
Shampoo stood up and dusted herself off. "Of all the..."  
  
"Look out! Ya blasted woman!" snapped Ryoga as he rolled onto his back.  
  
Shampoo turned and put her palm up. Two jets of flames slammed into the ice wall she had created. It melted away just as the blasts subsided.  
  
"Damn! Now what? There are still six more!" said Ryu angrily.  
  
One of the heads let out a roar of pain and slowly sank to the ground.   
  
"What the?" said Ryu as he glanced towards the center of the tangle of necks. "Hey! I was wondering where he went!" He pointed towards Ranma. She was standing with her sword driven deep into the fallen neck. After a moment she faded away again as two of the remaining dragon heads slammed into the ground where she had stood. Her sword was still stuck in place; after the two monsters realized that they had missed they moved away and slithered towards the group again. The sword seemed to vanish from the neck after that.  
  
"We're in trouble. Unless you know a spell that can kill a dragon we're in really big trouble," commented Ryu.  
  
Two heads moved on either side of them, blocking them in. "We're in trouble then," confirmed Shampoo.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ukyo Kuonji squared off against three of the beast's heads. She jumped and dodged around blasts of fire and the snapping teeth of the monster skillfully. Several slashes were apparent along the thing's necks from the strikes of her spear. It still glowed with the mystical white light along the blade. "Damn! I can't get in a good shot! They're too fast."  
  
She grunted as she came into contact with one of the necks and was thrown to the ground roughly. She rolled away just as two of the heads bit into the earth where she had landed. "Damn it! I'll kill you yet monster!" A long scrape had appeared on her arm, several similar scratches were apparent all over her body where she had come into contact with the dragon's scales.   
  
"Ucchan! Look out!" cried a familiar voice. The knight whirled around just in time to see a massive set of jaws closing in on her. She was saved as a blur slammed into her side knocking her out of the way.  
  
"Ranma?" muttered the knight as she stood up shakily. The redheaded elf was standing in a combat stance just in front of her.  
  
"Ucchan. How the hell did you piss this thing off?"   
  
"I helped kill his boss," replied the girl with a small smirk on his face.  
  
"Great. We won't last much longer. We've only taken out two of these things so far. Ryu and the others used their weapons up doing it. Now what?" The elf girl started dragging her away just ahead of the serpent's jaws.  
  
"Yumatano Orochi is a legendary eight headed dragon. "We need to find the master head and destroy it."  
  
"Great! How the hell do we do that?" snapped Ranma as she pulled her friend away. Ukyo noted that she was moving towards the rest of them and two more heads. Shampoo was using a mixture of magic and her bonbori to keep them at bay.  
  
"If I knew that I'd have done it!" snapped the knight in retort.  
  
"Tactical retreat?" said Ukyo with a little hope in her voice.  
  
"Retreat where? Back into those goblins?" retorted Ranma.  
  
"Shit. Ranma Honey! I don't want to die before you take my virginity!"  
  
The redhead fell flat on her face and took Ukyo with her. One of the dragon heads passed over them just as it happened.  
  
"Can we not talk about this now?" said Ranma as she got up and started running again.  
  
Ukyo stopped and ripped her hand away from Ranma's. She turned and faced the two heads just behind them with a stern look on her face. "Damn it! Can't you see we're busy now!?" She slashed the spear as they passed on either side of her. This time they did not rise back into the air, but fell to the ground dead. Ranma paled as she noticed that the two heads were almost completely removed by the strikes.  
  
"Now, Ranchan. What were we just talking about?"  
  
"I, uhh... I dunno."  
  
Ryu and his group rushed up to them. "Great, now we're down to three left."  
  
"Four," corrected Ukyo.  
  
"Huh?" sputtered Ryoga.  
  
"Yumatano Orochi is an eight headed dragon. There are only seven heads right now," explained Ranma.  
  
"So where the hell is the rest of it? We're running out of options fast!" said Shampoo.  
  
As if in answer the remains of the destroyed heads and the three living ones slid back under the ground. A deep rumbling sound filled the air and the party was thrown onto the ground roughly by the tremors.  
  
"Now what?" screamed Ryu.  
  
The ground in front of them burst out revealing a gigantic row of teeth. Each tooth was as big as a man and the head it was attached too forced them back to the edge of the forest by just it's huge size. It roared angrily sending the whole group to their knees in pain. The mountain shook violently from the sheer force of the sound.  
  
"Screw this!" snapped Ryoga as he started to turn away.  
  
"I'm with him," said Ryu as he stared in awe at the beast.  
  
Shampoo was too shocked to speak. She had never seen anything so large before.  
  
Ranma was staring at Ukyo. The girl was standing with her pike held in front of her. A white power seemed to surround her body. "Ranma. Please, I just need a little time."  
  
The redhead stood up and glared at her for a moment. "How much?"  
  
"About a minute."  
  
"Done." With that, the redhead seemed to vanish in an instant.  
  
Ukyo closed her eyes, the aura surrounding her flared up, it was bright enough to rival the sun. She grit her teeth as memories of her past comrades filled her mind. They had died doing what she was asking of Ranma. "Please, hang on Ranchan."  
  
"Are you out of your mind?" screamed Ryu as he stepped towards where his partner had been. He fell silent and pulled Shampoo and Ryoga into the forest with him. The elf girl refused to turn around and watched the scene as he pulled her by her hand. Ryoga didn't need much help to run, but Ryu shoved him along anyway, just to be sure he was moving in the right direction. Not surprisingly, there were no goblins waiting for them.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Ranma seemed to appear in front of the beast several times. Each time she slashed at it with her sword. She wasn't doing any real damage, but it was enough to annoy the beast into attacking. Jets of flame struck wherever she appeared just after she vanished again. The three remaining smaller heads also attempted to attack. She smirked and vanished just as two of them slammed into each other. "Hurry up Ucchan. I don't know how long 'till this thing gets lucky."   
  
Ukyo's eyes flew open suddenly. "It's time!" Her lance changed into a beam of pure light in her hands, the power flared across the handle as she rose it over her head and prepared to strike. "Eat this beast! King Dragon Tooth!" She jumped twenty feet into the air threw it down at an angle. It jumped like a lightning bolt towards her target. The dragon opened its mouth to roar, but it never finished. Ranma appeared just in front of the thing's eye with her sword slashing down at the pupil. In mid strike she seemed to notice the beam of light that was heading straight for her and gasped.  
  
"Ranchan! No!" screamed the knight as the projectile slammed home into the beast's eye. Then, everything went white.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma found herself in incredible pain. She was lying on the ground covered in rubble and dirt. All that remained of the blast was a large hole where the dragon had emerged to face them. She shook her head and sat up. "What hit me?" Something slammed into her sending her back to the ground. She tightened up instinctively, but relaxed when something soft and warm met her lips. She felt a wetness on her cheeks as if she had been crying. "Muh?"  
  
Ukyo broke her kiss and looked into her confused and disoriented love's eyes. "Oh Ranchan. I thought I'd lost you." She sobbed and clung to his neck even tighter.  
  
"What happened?" muttered the redhead.  
  
"You almost got skewered you dope," said Ryu as he appeared next to Ukyo.  
  
Ranma sat up again and looked down. Her shirt had a large portion torn away on her torso. There was also the beginning of a light burn that covered almost half of her stomach. She looked up at her companions and smiled. "Did we get it?"  
  
"Aye, that we did. The goblins are nowhere to be seen either," said Ryoga. He and Shampoo were sitting on some of the rubble from the fight nearby. Everyone looked beaten and dirty, but also relieved.  
  
"So, we saved Joketsuko. Funny, Ryu doesn't look too unhappy. He hates this kind of stuff."  
  
"Har, har," muttered the boy. "I just haven't had the chance to feel my injuries yet. When I do, you can be sure I'll get you back for getting me involved with this mess."  
  
"Whatever. Hey, aren't we forgetting something?" said Ranma suddenly.  
  
"I don't think so. The dragon is dead, and without him, the goblins will disperse on their own."  
  
A high pitched laughter filled the air suddenly. Everyone turned to look at the tower. Hikaru's image appeared in front of them with an evil grin on his face. "You haven't beaten me yet! I shall rule all of Joketsuko soon enough! You still have to get through my gauntlet of traps, and by then I'll have summoned another powerful beast to do my bidding! Bwahahahahahahahaa!"  
  
Ranma sighed as the image vanished. "Ryoga, you take care of this."  
  
"Aye lad. It'll be my pleasure," said the dwarf as he cracked his knuckles and walked towards the cliff that held the dark tower.  
  
"When will these stupid wizards ever learn?" said the pigtailed girl.  
  
"What do you mean Ranchan?" asked Ukyo.  
  
Ryoga stopped just in front of the tower's doors. He thrust his hand into the ground suddenly. "Bakusai Tenketsu!" The path exploded and the tower slowly started to tilt backwards.  
  
"These idiots always build their fortresses on these skinny little cliffs. I still don't know why."  
  
The group stood and watched the fortress topple over and fall into the ground far below.  
  
"What was that you just did? I've never heard of that technique," said Shampoo as she walked up to the dwarf.  
  
"Just a mining trick we dwarves use. It's actually kind of old, and most dwarves don't use it anymore now that we have explosives." He shrugged and started walking. "Come on, we can set up camp here."  
  
"Right. I'm starving," said Ranma as she jumped to her feet again.  
  
Ukyo looked like she wanted to say something to him, but fell silent at the last moment.  
  
"Worry about it later," said Ryu as he grabbed her shoulder gently. "Come on, we need to get cleaned up and rested. We've got a long day ahead of us. Right?"  
  
"Yeah. Right." The girl smiled slightly and seemed to relax. "Thanks Ryu."  
  
"Anytime," said the boy without turning to face her.   
  
+++++++++++  
  
The Emperor's aide frowned at Nabiki. "Who is that elf girl?"  
  
"I believe that is the one the wizards call 'Dragon Ghost'." replied the girl carefully.  
  
"So, she is the famous thief? Interesting."  
  
"I suppose so."   
  
The image vanished suddenly. The cloaked woman turned to face Nabiki."What happened?"  
  
"No one can get more than a moment's glance at the Dragon Ghost. How she does it is one of her best kept secrets."  
  
"I see. Still, your plan failed."  
  
"Did it?" said Nabiki with a small twinkle in her eyes.  
  
"Yes it did."  
  
"I never told you what my plan was. I merely wanted to get rid of another unwanted admirer for my little sister. Gosunkugi was becoming as obsessive as Kuno."  
  
"And what you told me of the knights?"  
  
"Would have been a perk if Ukyo had not shown up so soon. Even I can't foresee everything."  
  
"Congratulations then."  
  
"Thank you, I'll have those Knights out of the way soon enough. Your orders were not forgotten."  
  
"Nabiki, see to it that you don't fail me again."  
  
The witch turned back to the mirror and scowled at her own reflection. She had managed to save some face, but it was still obvious that Ranma had ruined her plans. "If I didn't need you so badly, I'd destroy you for that, boy. Your time will come soon enough though, once you've outlived your usefulness that is." Her frown changed into a dark smile.  
  
  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Joketsuko.  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  



	7. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost.  
  
Part 7  
  
Joketsuko.  
  
Ryoga smirked as he rose over a rocky patch along the side of the mountain trail. "Aye, I knew it."  
  
"What have we got?" called Ryu from below him.   
  
"It's them! The dwarves!" cried Ryoga happily. "T'ain't much, but they've survived."  
  
Ranma found himself smiling as he approached the dwarf. Just over the hills were a large cluster of small tents. They were arranged in rows along a tiny, snow covered valley nestled between the rocks. Several campfires sent columns of smoke into the air. They had noticed this in the distance, and decided to check it out. Now, the dwarves could be seen bustling about in the makeshift streets. It was obvious from the remains of the village that many of them had died, but there were a few hundred tents below.   
  
"Looks like most of them made it," commented Shampoo.  
  
"Aye, we're a hardy lot we are!" boasted Ryoga as he started walking towards the encampment.  
  
"I am relieved. It looks like the mountain elves helped them out a bit. Those aren't dwarven tents, it almost fooled me," said Ukyo.  
  
"I just hope they have something to sell us. We need supplies, and we don't have time to double back to that human town," said Ryu. He spun on his heels and punched Ranma dead in his face. The pigtailed boy landed on his back and clutched at his face. "That's for getting us involved with this."  
  
Ranma growled as he stood up, but made no move to counter. It was obvious that his eye was going to be sore for a few days or so.  
  
"I guess he meant what he said," said Shampoo with a dry look as she passed Ranma.  
  
"He doesn't say much that he doesn't mean," commented the boy as he followed. "He's right about one thing, I hope they have supplies. We need warmer clothes. We could manage without them, but it's going to get real cold as we get closer to Joketsuko. That city is almost a mile up, there aren't many places colder in the world."  
  
"That's right. Our government is reliant on other countries. We can't grow food of our own well. Most of our economy is from the trade routes we run, and the mining operations we have. It's the center of commerce on the continent."  
  
"We've visited a few times before," commented Ryu with a sly grin appearing on his face.  
  
"Oh? Why is that?" said Ukyo obliviously.  
  
"Business," replied Ranma with a shrug.  
  
"You were a merchant?" asked Ukyo with an annoying innocence about her.  
  
"Something like that," chuckled Ryu. He stopped his stride and held his arm out.  
  
"Who goes there?" snapped a tense voice from in front of them.  
  
"Just travelers," said Ryoga as he approached one of the rocks. Several dwarves appeared from behind it. They were carrying battle-axes and spears.  
  
"Guards," said Ranma to Shampoo's questioning look.  
  
"Hoi! No goblins here. How'd ya manage to get past them monsters?" said one of the dwarves cheerfully.  
  
"Hoi!" Ryoga raised his arm and gave the traditional greeting of the mountain dwarves in reply. "What monsters? There are none."  
  
"Eh? What ya mean?" said one of the guards in confusion.  
  
"They're gone, for good," replied Ryoga happily.  
  
"If what you say is true, the elders will be most pleased," said the same dwarf. The group realized that he was probably the leader.  
  
Ryu stepped forward. "You have any goods for sale in your camp? We need supplies."  
  
The dwarf looked at him and nodded cheerfully. "O' course we do! What kind of dwarves do you think we are?"  
  
Ryoga frowned at him. "What a silly question!"  
  
"You were wondering too as I recall," said Ranma.  
  
"Who asked you?" snapped Ryoga.  
  
-------------  
  
"So, the mighty Good Fang has come and liberated us from the Dragon and his evil goblin army?" A wizened old dwarf stood in front of the group. They were inside a large tent sitting around a huge campfire. The dwarf was probably at least a thousand years old from the looks of him. His long white hair and beard spread out on the floor around him. He didn't look like he'd keel over anytime soon though, his build was strong, and he was far from feeble.  
  
"Aye. 'Twas the work of a dark sorcerer. I did away with him nicely," said Ryoga proudly.  
  
"Hey, it ain't like you didn't have help runt," snapped Ranma. Ryu was also clearly annoyed, but remained silent.  
  
"You have my gratitude, but I'm afraid we can't part with our wares without compensation. We have a lot of work to do when we return home, and our stores have been destroyed."  
  
"How like a dwarf, ungrateful little..." Shampoo began to mutter under her breath.  
  
Ryu snorted in mild amusement. "I thought as much. Don't worry old man, we have enough to pay for anything we need."  
  
"How much would that be?" pried the elder.  
  
"You think we're dumb enough to tell you?" said Ranma.  
  
"Aye, you're smart folk indeed. I had to try," the old man gave a chuckle and lit a long ornate looking pipe. "What would you be needin?"  
  
"Clothes, and some food wouldn't hurt either. That is, if you can spare any," said Ukyo. Ranma and Ryu gave her a quick glance, but said nothing.  
  
"I think we can scrounge something up for ya," said the old dwarf.   
  
The group nodded and stood up to leave the tent. Ryoga stayed behind and smirked as they walked outside. "Elder, do me a favor. Kill em, I don't want a single gold piece left in that braggart Ranma's pocket when he leaves here."  
  
"Hmm, I can tell you've got good business sense. As of now, prices within the village have just tripled."  
  
"Thank ye," Ryoga merrily giggled to himself as he rushed outside to join his companions.  
  
---------  
  
"Hey Ryoga," said Ranma as he met the dwarf outside of the tent five minutes later. "What took you?"  
  
"Eh? That damn flap kept moving! Shut yer trap!"  
  
"Good, cause you're going to buy supplies here," said Ryu lazily as he stood up from where he was sitting. Ukyo and Shampoo were with him.  
  
"Eh?! Why should I?"  
  
"You don't want to curse us do you? You know the rules. If a dwarf joins a group of travelers, the first supplies bought are bought by him."  
  
"That's only among dwarves!" snapped the angry dwarf.  
  
"That's not true, every dwarf I've ever traveled with has done it," said Ukyo. She was oblivious to the conversation up to that point. "Something about 'good business and turn around'."  
  
Ryoga went pale. He knew it was true, if he didn't it could bring misfortune to him and his business. That was the tradition. "Blast! How could I forget about that?"   
  
"Hope you've got enough," said Ranma as he walked towards the shopping center.  
  
Ryoga's eyes went wide and he turned to go back to the elder's tent. Naturally, it wasn't the right way he had turned. Even if he could find it, he wouldn't be able to change the old dwarf's mind. That would be bad business. "Blast!" he screamed and fell to his knees.  
  
------------  
  
About two hours later, the whole group left the camp clothed in heavy furs. Ranma and Ryu's traveling packs were also a bit bulkier from supplies they had bought.   
  
"It should be about a day's walk along this trail," said Ukyo as she pointed down the road.  
  
"That sounds about right. We're gonna have to spend the night in the cold tonight. We'll get a room once we make it to Joketsuko."  
  
"No. You'll stay with me. I've got enough room in my home," said Ukyo firmly.  
  
"Let's go then," said Ranma with a shrug.  
  
-----------  
  
The group was clothed in heavy fur cloaks as they walked down the snow-covered trail. Ranma was in the lead with his companions close behind him. "Hold up."  
  
Everyone paused and looked at him. "What's going on Ranma?"  
  
"We've got company," said Ranma as a small group became visible ahead of them. Several figures appeared in front of them.  
  
"Who goes there?" called one of them. They were tall, and armed with spears and bows.  
  
"Mountain Elves," said Ryu lazily.   
  
"Looks like they're ready for a fight," commented Ryoga.  
  
Ranma nodded. "Just in case the goblins decided to push forward I suppose."  
  
"Those dwarves would have told them. I wonder if anyone sent word to Joketsuko besides myself?"  
  
"Probably," agreed Ranma. "Come on, let's greet them."  
  
"Three humans, an elf, and a dwarf," called one of the soldiers. Those around him relaxed and moved towards the strangers.   
  
"What business do you have here?" said the lead elf. They were dressed like Ranma and his group, clothed in heavy furs. Flashes of armor could be seen under the heavy cloaks.  
  
"We're traveling to Joketsuko," said Ukyo.  
  
"Are you merchants?" said one of the men with a slightly hopeful tone.  
  
"They should be a day or two behind us. We're just travelers," said Ryu.  
  
"I see. The goblins?"  
  
"Gone. They didn't last long after they lost their leader," said Ranma cheerfully.   
  
"Yes. I am pleased to see they didn't make it this far," agreed Shampoo.  
  
"That is good to know," said the lead elf. "Our supplies are running low. A few merchants from Joketsuko have taken up with us until the path is cleared."  
  
"It's clear now," said Ryu.  
  
"You'll forgive me if I see to that myself," said the elf.  
  
"Not very trusting are they?" snorted Ranma.   
  
"They have reason not to be," commented Shampoo. "They don't know us. We could be spies."  
  
"You elves are such nervous folk," commented Ryoga.   
  
"Why didn't they just go back home? It's only a day's walk," said Ukyo.  
  
"A merchant caravan is expensive to run, and difficult to keep up. If they returned home, it could be weeks before they could set out again," explained Ranma. "Most of the merchant families can't really afford that."  
  
"I see," Shampoo nodded to herself.   
  
"Come on, we've got a way to go yet." Ranma started forward again. "How much farther is Joketsuko?"  
  
"Half a day. You won't make it before night fall," said one of the elves.  
  
"We're making good time then," said Ryu.  
  
"Why don't we stay here then?" said Shampoo as she glanced back at the elven guards.  
  
"You heard them. They've got merchants staying with them. I doubt if we could find a room, plus the fact that the village is a good way up the mountain. These men are just guarding the trail."  
  
"Telling us they were low on supplies like that was just a polite way of saying, 'Sorry, we can't take any more travelers,'" agreed Ryu.  
  
"I see. A pity, I've always been curious about the mountain elves," said Shampoo as she spared another glance back.  
  
"If I hadn't lost my armor in that lake, we would have been welcomed," grumbled Ukyo. There wasn't much heat to the statement though.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
The next day, sometime in the early afternoon, they finally reached the final leg of their journey. Joketsuko could be seen a short distance away on the top of a large mountain. The top portion of the peak seemed to be cut away, leaving a large flat area in which the city rested. The rooftops were covered in snow, but the gray stone buildings could be seen poking over the protective wall that surrounded the city. In the center, an old looking castle of medieval design rose high above the walls. Several towers protruded from the outer walls, and in the center, a much larger tower rose into the air and seemed to scrape the clouds above with it's spires. Red flags billowed in the wind atop each of the towers, and several others lined the walls protecting the city.  
  
"Well, we've made it. I'd say we've got about four days before the Emperor arrives," said Ryu calmly.  
  
"Plenty," said Ranma with a nod.  
  
"Come on. You can stay with me for a while," said Ukyo cheerfully.  
  
"Only for a few days. We've got to keep going. Time isn't quite as important any more," said Ryu.  
  
Shampoo and Ryoga gave him quick glances, but said nothing.  
  
The knight's face fell slightly. "Oh. Promise that you'll come back through and see me on your way back."  
  
"Uh, sure thing Ucchan," muttered Ranma. He felt terrible, but forced a smile on his face.  
  
"That dope. He's a terrible liar," muttered Ryu under his breath.  
  
--------  
  
Shampoo and Ryoga hung back with Ryu as they approached the gates of the city. Ranma walked with Ukyo a good distance ahead of them.  
  
"Why did we lie to the knight?" said Shampoo.  
  
"Oh, we're just going to rob an important dignitary who's staying at the castle. Not that she is sworn to protect it or anything, it's just that we're mean," said the boy sarcastically. "Please help us rob your queen! You'd be such a big help!" He glared at her. "Use your head."  
  
"Oh. I hadn't thought about it that way," muttered the girl dejectedly as a blush crept onto her face.  
  
They approached the massive gate that led into the town. Several guards stood on either side, but they made no move to stop them. There were many others passing through the gates. Traffic was understandably slow though. There were other routes to the city, but the one they had taken was the largest and most traveled trade route.  
  
"Where do you live?" said Ranma as he turned to Ukyo as they passed into the city. The first area was the market. Hundreds of shops and vendors lined the streets, a massive crowd bustled around as they pushed their way through the streets.  
  
"Close to the castle. I can't room with most of the other knights, because I'm a woman."  
  
"How did you manage that anyway?" said Ryu.  
  
Ukyo grinned. "Everyone thought I was a boy at first. I fought around and had a few adventures when I was young. Eventually I came here during a tournament and participated, I won easily and was knighted by the queen about two years ago. After she knighted me, I told her I was a girl. Luckily, she wasn't angry. I think she laughed for three days from the looks on the guys' faces." Ukyo chuckled to herself for a moment. "It didn't take long to teach them some respect after that."  
  
Ranma smirked at this. "Figures. You're lucky she didn't kill you. If it had been a king, he might have. Girls don't make very good knights in most cases."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" snapped Shampoo as she grabbed him by his collar and put her face up to his.  
  
"Look around dope. How many knights do you see shopping?" Ranma indicated a large group of women near one of the stands. They were all quite feminine, many of them portly, and a few frail looking younger girls.  
  
"The Emperor's best knight is supposed to be a woman as well," said Ukyo with a slightly annoyed frown.  
  
"He said 'most women'," said Ryu as he pulled Shampoo's grip away.  
  
"Aye, even among dwarves, most women do not fight," agreed Ryoga.  
  
"I don't see a whole lot of men in this place who would cut it either," snapped Ukyo as she indicated another group of richly dressed men.  
  
"Nobles don't count. All of those jerks are weaklings," snapped Ranma.  
  
"Including your father?" said Ukyo with her eyes narrowing, "and mine?"  
  
Ryu, Shampoo, and Ryoga's jaws dropped like lead weights.  
  
"My father wasn't a noble," replied Ranma. "He died a poor man, and we lived that way for as long as I can remember."  
  
"That's not true. Your father was a great man. He just didn't want you growing up soft. Mine was the same way."  
  
"That's enough. I don't want to talk about this," snapped the pigtailed boy as he turned and stalked away.  
  
"Hey! What the hell is she talking about?" cried Ryu as he chased after his partner.  
  
"Ranma, is noble?" said Shampoo with a shocked look on her face.  
  
"That explains his attitude," grumbled Ryoga.  
  
"You... didn't know?" said Ukyo in confusion.  
  
Both of the others shook their heads.  
  
"Ranma's father was a duke of the former empire. He was killed after the new emperor took the throne. No one is sure why, or how he died. Most of the old nobility is still in place. He just vanished a long time ago. Eventually, everyone stopped looking and assumed that they had both been killed. You're here to see the Emperor aren't you? I assumed that was why Ranma had come here. That would explain all the secrecy."  
  
"No. We are not here to see him," said Shampoo. It wasn't really a lie.  
  
"Oh, man. I guess he didn't want to tell you," muttered Ukyo. She knew she had just screwed up.  
  
"Most interesting," commented Shampoo. She stared towards the direction Ryu and Ranma had run.  
  
-----------  
  
"Ranma! What the hell is going on?" said Ryu as he cornered his partner in an alleyway.   
  
Ranma merely stood with his back turned and his head hung low. "It's nothing. Just the past."  
  
"This is a pretty big nothing," snapped Ryu. "I can understand you not wanting to tell me, what with our profession and all. I promise I won't say anything. Come on, we've got work to do."  
  
Ranma smirked slightly and looked at Ryu. "Ryu. I can't ask you to do this with me anymore. All my life, I've been looking for the man who killed my father. I've got a feeling, that I'll find him this time. That's why I took this job."  
  
"Is that the elf in you talking?" asked Ryu calmly.  
  
"No. It's a gut feeling," replied the pigtailed boy.  
  
"You think I'm going to back out of this now?" snapped Ryu angrily. "You're just trying to get that reward all to yourself! Is that any way to treat your partner?"  
  
Ranma whirled around angrily. He stopped his protest when he saw the smirk on his partner's face.  
  
"We've all got our secrets Ranma, but I'm not leaving until I get paid."  
  
"Fine. You jerk," replied the pigtailed boy as he walked out of the alley brushing by Ryu.  
  
"Ranma."  
  
The boy paused and did not turn around.   
  
"If what you say is true, you'll get that bastard. I'll make sure of that."  
  
"Come on," said the pigtailed boy.  
  
Ryu turned to follow and smirked. "Yamesenken. It destroyed my life, but it also gave me a new one. I still hate you for that, Saotome." His words were almost a whisper.  
  
----------  
  
"So, this is the house of a knight?" Ranma was impressed. It was a four-room home, with plenty of space. There was a kitchen, a living room, and two bedrooms. It was a large cottage near the castle gates.  
  
"What can I say? The queen likes me," said Ukyo with a shrug. She started a fire in the fireplace and turned to face them. "You three can take that room. Me and Ranma will sleep in mine."  
  
Everyone looked at her for a moment.  
  
"How about, boys in one room girls in another? I don't want Ranma forgetting his mission," said Ryu.  
  
"You still haven't told me what your mission is," said Ukyo as she looked at them.  
  
"You aren't very good at keeping secrets," replied Ranma a little bitterly.  
  
The girl reacted as if she had been slapped. "I'm sorry. I thought that they knew about that. You seemed like you knew each other so well when we were traveling."  
  
"The truth is, we've only known each other for about three weeks," said Shampoo.   
  
"Hey! I've been trying to kill him for four years!" snapped Ryoga.  
  
"Kill him?" said Ukyo as she turned to Ryoga in surprise.  
  
"He kinda got over that," whispered Ryu cheerfully to her.  
  
"Oh," said the girl uncomfortably. She turned towards the door. "I've got to report in, I should be back in an hour or so. Make yourselves at home." She walked out of the home and left them.  
  
---------  
  
That night, Shampoo lay awake in Ukyo's room. Her hands were behind her head as she stared at the ceiling.   
  
"Ranma, is noble? How strange." The more she thought about it, the better it sounded. He didn't like weakness much, and his curse gave him the life span of an elf. Whether or not he realized that, she wasn't sure. "This knight is a good person. I am sorry we have to betray her. It is for the greater good. Perhaps it is not all bad. She and Ranma will be separated by our mission, and he is noble. He is strong, and very honorable, more so than I had ever thought when I first met him. I think he would have done this without payment if he had known of it. All that, plus he appears to hate the nobility as much as I do. Those pompous and arrogant fools and their meetings and parties, it disgusts me. It is possible, that he could be the perfect candidate, for my future husband." Her smile widened as she realized this. Slowly, she drifted off to sleep.  
  
---------  
  
Ukyo was awake as well. Her thoughts were quite different from Shampoo's.   
  
"Something about all this bothers me." She sighed as she rolled onto her side. "I hate thinking about it, I love Ranchan, but it's been so long since we've been together. I don't really know him anymore. He used to be so proud of who he was. Why would he keep it a secret? Perhaps there is more to this than I imagine?" She forced her eyes closed. "Maybe I'm just digging to deep into this? Ranchan, is... well, he's Ranchan. He's got to have his own reasons. This mission they claim to have, I don't know why, but I think that bothers me most of all." Slowly she drifted off to sleep as well.  
  
----------  
  
Ryu stood over the sleeping form of Ranma. He stared down at him for a long time with a neutral look on his face. The boy shivered under his sheets while he gazed at him.  
  
"Ranma. We've been together for a long time. The more I think about it, the more this feeling of dread seems to overwhelm me. I don't like this mission, I hate it. You know I hate being the hero. Somehow, I know I have to finish this though. You're nothing but a pain in my ass, you know that?" He smirked slightly and clenched his fist at his side.  
  
His thoughts wandered again as he stood there. He had once hated Ranma more than Ryoga ever had. The Saotome name was the downfall of his own. Circumstance had brought them together, he knew why Ranma never gave his last name. He had found out the hard way. Now, because of that, his most hated enemy and sworn rival, was probably the best friend he had ever had. The only one in fact.  
  
"I hate you," he muttered. He turned away and went to his own mat before laying down for the night.  
  
Ranma shivered again under the sheets. The house was warm, and he didn't seem to wake up. For some reason, he felt cold. Finally, he sneezed three times and rolled over again.   
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The terror of the Emperor's staff!  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
  



	8. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 8  
  
The Terror of the Emperor's Staff.  
  
Akane walked behind the personal guard of the Emperor. She was dressed in full armor; her helmet shielded her face from the strong cold wind that blew across the city. She was riding on a giant black steed with an armor plate on its face. At her side was a long pike that held the Emperor's flag. Before them was a large castle that rested in the center of the mountain city of Joketsuko. "So, this is Joketsuko."  
  
"Yes Mistress," said Mint casually.  
  
"We have been here before, once or twice. Lord Herb has had a few diplomatic missions here," agreed Lime.  
  
"That doesn't matter. Stay close, and keep your eyes open," her words were not only directed at the pair of beast men, but the two ranks of black clad knights that rode behind her.  
  
Herb smiled slightly as he glanced back at her and the knights. "Well, it seems that bringing her was pointless."  
  
"Don't be so naive, she has other duties as well," commented the cloaked woman who rode beside him, the Emperor's personal aid. The monarch himself rode inside a large covered platform that was carried by four large looking men. His shadow could be seen behind the sheer silk curtain. His personal carriage waited just outside the city.  
  
"Ah, guard duty? How incredibly dull," replied the man.  
  
"As you say, I doubt if she'll be board on this trip."  
  
Guards poured out of the gates on either side of the imperial convoy. They lined up along the sides of the great bridge that crossed the large moat that surrounded the palace. The temperature was far too cold to keep a water moat, but a black oily substance filled the trench. It bubbled and steamed, sending an unpleasant odor into the air.  
  
A regal looking figure walked out of the front gate with several tall looking advisors surrounding her. Her face was pretty, but a strange veil surrounded her face on either side, a long cape also covered her body from view.  
  
"We are pleased to receive you here. Welcome to Joketsuko, our hope is that you will find your stay pleasant," said the woman calmly. She reached out with her hand, revealing three other arms hidden beneath the cloak on one side.  
  
The Emperor's aide removed the hood off of her face. She had short cut white hair, and an almost stunning beauty. "The Emperor hopes these talks will proceed favorably."  
  
The regal looking woman bowed her head to Herb slightly. "It is good to see you again, Lord Herb."  
  
"As it is you, Your Highness."  
  
"Come, let us go inside. The weather here is quite unpleasant at this time of year." The woman turned and led them inside the gates. The guards filed in just after the Emperor, just in front of Akane and her ranks.  
  
"Come on," growled the girl.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Inside the throne room, the Queen sat in her throne in front of the visiting dignitaries. Her eight arms rested on armrests specially made for her, one on each tier. Her veil had been removed as well, revealing two other faces on each side of her head. One had a smile upon it; the other was an angry scowl. "We will begin the talks tomorrow. I know you must be tired from the long trek to our kingdom. Rooms have been prepared, the Emperor has already been shown to his room."  
  
"As you say. Highness, if I may be permitted," said Herb with a pleasant smile crossing his features.  
  
"You may speak," said the woman flatly. She had not shown any emotion since their arrival.  
  
"The Emperor wishes to see your dungeons, he is quite interested in such things. If it is not too much trouble that is."  
  
"We shall arrange it this evening," said the woman.  
  
"Thank you," replied the man as he bowed low.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Akane stood in front of the lavish doors that led to the guest chambers. They were extraordinarily lavish; the kingdom was not a poor one. Even the hallways had rolls of plush red carpets, they were brightly lit with hanging chandeliers that lined the entire passage. Various paintings and tapestries hung from the walls, and expensive looking tables held bouquets of native mountain flowers in fine vases.   
  
Lime and Mint stood with her on either side, normally; she would have her two best men with her. Since Herb had left them with her, she figured she might as well make use of them. Even if they were just there to spy on her. The Emperor seemed to like them more than the silent knights as well. She had to admit, they were amusing at times. They were also much better protection than her men. She hated to admit that, but it was something she accepted.  
  
Herb approached them slowly and nodded a greeting. Akane had to suppress a small growl, but bowed her head placidly to him and stood aside.  
  
He paused in front of the doors and did not look at her. "Queen Rouge has given us permission to see the dungeons. We will be leaving now, your duties will begin there."  
  
Akane's face frowned beneath her helmet. "She is a fool then."  
  
"Perhaps, but I think she just doesn't know. Tonight the palace will be ours. I left a special surprise for the knights as well. Your sister cooked it up for me. She is quite skilled."  
  
"In more than spell casting I'll wager," grumbled Akane.  
  
"Come now. You know as well as I that I will make an honest woman of her soon enough."  
  
"There's nothing you can do to make her honest," replied Akane coldly.  
  
"True!" Herb laughed for a moment. "Come now, do try and be a little civil, we will be related soon you know."  
  
"Civil is one thing I'll never be to you, Lord Herb," spat the woman sharply.  
  
"As you wish, be prepared," said Herb with his face calming suddenly.  
  
"I am ready to serve, as always," she replied with her head bowed slightly.  
  
"Do try and behave yourselves in front of our ruler," said an amused voice from behind them. They turned to see the Emperor's aide beside them. Lime and Mint both stood rigidly and stared at the wall in front of them. She was not wearing her cloak, and the skintight body suit she wore didn't hide much from view.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
The dungeon was cold and damp, water dripped from the ceiling from long icicles that seemed to cover the stones overhead, a thin coat of ice also covered most of the walls. As the tiny cloaked figure of the Emperor stared into the cells that contained the whimpering criminals. They were separated from them by a few rusted out bars of metal. There was no torture equipment in the room, mostly because the temperature alone was enough to deter most. They cowered before the group before them, huddled close to each other for warmth. Even the strongest among them shivered quietly, deathly afraid to speak. Akane's intimidating black form lorded over them as she stared coldly into the bars. Herb was slightly more friendly looking, but his powerful aura was not something they took lightly.   
  
"The smell disgusts me," commented Akane. "You'd think they'd at least hose them down on occasion."  
  
"They would freeze to death in a few hours if they did," said the aide calmly.  
  
"We are not here to see that," said the young voice from behind them. They parted and he stepped forward, the staff clanked against the ground as the metal touched the stone floor. "It is time, don't worry my friends, you'll be warm soon enough." He stared at the prisoners for a moment and smirked. He was nothing but a boy, he looked no more than twelve years old, but his eyes told of an age much more than that. His long dark hair had streaks of red in it. On his back were two black and red wings, like those of a bird. The staff in his hands was glowing with a red energy; the metal shone brightly illuminating the room around them. It was an ornate piece of metal, made with a strange red metal. A large ring rested on the top.  
  
The boy tapped the ground with the staff and released it. The thing was impaled on the ground from even the light blow and stood upright. The red energy began to spread across the floor around them. Slowly it crept across the floor towards the prisoners. The water dripping from the ceiling and walls hissed as it came into contact with the ground, and the bars of metal began to bend slightly under the temperature. The prisoners began to wail in panic as the superheated energy crawled towards them.   
  
Akane merely stared forward as they began to scream in pain. Her armor was enchanted, and protected her from the effects of the energy. Kiima, the Emperor's aide, was somehow immune, and Herb merely floated just above it with his arms crossed and a dark smile on his lips.  
  
Emperor Saffron turned towards her and smiled, ignoring the screaming men behind him as they slowly burned to death. Already, the screams of others within the castle above had begun to start.  
  
"Guard the Kajakan well."  
  
"Yes my lord," she replied as she fell to her knees in front of him. She drew the huge broadsword from her side and planted it into the ground in front of her. The black metal was unaffected by the red power, it also had serrated edges that made it look even more intimidating.  
  
"Come Herb, we have to go collect Queen Rouge, she will not be harmed by my power," said the boy calmly.  
  
"I shall accompany you as well," said Kiima.  
  
"As you wish," said the boy with a small chuckle. He paused for a moment. "What of the knights?"  
  
"They have been taken care of," commented Herb. "Akane's forces should be cleaning up any who escaped our little surprise."  
  
"Excellent," said the boy as he started forward again.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma, Ryu, Shampoo, and Ryoga stood on the edge of the moat. "Well, he's here," commented Ryu.  
  
"Yup," agreed Ranma cheerfully. "We'll try and figure out where he's keeping the damn thing tonight. We'll go in after it tomorrow."  
  
"I'm not very comfortable with lying to Ukyo about this. I know she wouldn't help us if we told her, but it just doesn't sit well with me," said Shampoo. "I do understand why we couldn't thought."  
  
"How do you think I feel?" said Ranma calmly.   
  
They had left her home the day before, under the pretence of continuing their voyage. Since that time they had been staying at a small in on the other side of town. They had approached the castle several times, observing the guards, trying to figure out the layout of the huge building, and figuring out what the best way to enter was. This was more dangerous than Ranma's usual jobs. They had to sneak Shampoo in as well, that meant the Umisenken wouldn't be of much use. Ryu's Yamesenken might come in handy though. They really had no idea about how well the place would be guarded.  
  
Ryu looked uncomfortable for a moment. "Hey, does something feel weird to you?"  
  
"Huh? What?" said Ranma in confusion.  
  
"He's right, something doesn't feel right," said Ryoga. "I hate the stench of death this black slime emits.  
  
"Was it smoking before?" said Shampoo with an uncertain frown.  
  
"No, I don't think so. Does anyone else feel a little warm?" Ranma glanced down at the ooze and frowned.  
  
The entire group stepped back; a slow moving orange glow began to crawl its way up the side of the wall.  
  
"What the hell is that?" snapped Ranma as he jumped back.  
  
"The Kajakan," said Shampoo with an angry frown.  
  
"What?" snapped Ryu as he watched it crawl up the side of the building in fascinated horror.  
  
"This is the power of the emperor's staff," said the girl calmly.   
  
"That's nuts!" snapped Ranma.  
  
"You of all people should know better than that," commented Ryoga.  
  
"I've stolen stuff that makes things super hot before, but an entire castle?" said the boy as he watched. The guards on the wall above had noticed the slowly creeping energy crawl towards them. Occasionally, a few flames would jump out of the wall as the wind blew by. Within moments he saw the men fall to the ground as screams of pain floated down to them.  
  
"Gods! How are we supposed to get near that thing?" snarled Ryoga.  
  
"We don't, not while it's like this at least. Even the Kajakan can't keep something like this too hot for long. It will be dangerous though, the entire palace will be like the inside of a volcano."  
  
"No reason to change the plan then," said Ranma. "It should have cooled enough for us to get through by tomorrow. Especially in this weather."  
  
Ryoga spoke suddenly. "Ranma, the knights will be targeted."  
  
"I know," said the boy coolly.  
  
"You intend to do nothing?" said Shampoo in surprise.  
  
"What can I do? I'm a thief, not a knight. If I tried anything, it would endanger our mission." The boy looked away from them for a moment.  
  
"Ranma, she was your friend," said Ryu.  
  
"What's more important?" snapped the boy angrily as he whirled around to face them. Tears streamed down his face. He calmed suddenly and turned away again. "Ucchan would want me to stop this, for her. The only way to do that, is to get that damn staff away from him."  
  
Shampoo looked worried for a moment. "He is right, misguided perhaps, but correct. We can do more good by stopping the source."  
  
They turned away and left the castle for the next day.  
  
++++++++  
  
Inside the barracks of the Knights of Bahamut, several men sat around a large table with cards spread out among them. They were dressed in uniforms, but their armor hung on the walls between the bed racks where they slept. The scene was rather relaxed; a few weapons hung from their sides. Several other men lay on the beds, or lounged around with various instruments. They had just returned from a rather uneventful mission. The goblins that had once held a grip on the trade route had been dispersed before their arrival by one of their own.  
  
"So, she beat us again," muttered one of the men at the card table.  
  
"Yes, she's getting worse," agreed another one of the men lazily. "It's almost like we aren't needed anymore. That damn woman is too good for our own good. We're getting fat and lazy just sitting here."  
  
"You're right, we're losing respect," commented the first man with a tiny amount of anger.  
  
"Well, what can we do? We can't fault her for being as good, or as lucky as she is. Any one of us would jump on the opportunity. I kind of like having her around," said a third knight.   
  
"Her cross dressing lackey came back today," commented one of the nearby men.  
  
"They seem like a good couple. I wonder who wears the pants in that home!" joked one of the men cheerfully.  
  
"She does," said a new voice. Everyone turned to see Konatsu standing in the doorway lazily. He was wearing a plain looking dress and had his sword strapped across his back.  
  
"Hey! Join us for some cards?" offered one of the men cheerfully.  
  
"Thanks, but no," replied the squire.   
  
Everyone in the room knew and respected him, if not openly. He could have been a knight on his own. He had waved the honor several times, siting that he did not want to leave his mistress's side.   
  
"Suit yourself," replied the man with a shrug. The feminine squire wasn't much of a socialite. He preferred to keep to himself for the most part. It wasn't all that unusual among them; most of the knights who weren't sitting at the card table were like that.  
  
Konatsu walked by them silently and sat down on his bunk. He leaned against the wall and sighed. Something had been bothering him lately, a feeling of dread that he had not been able to put into words. He knew what it was though. "Something evil approaches. I sense that it is very near now, possibly even upon us all ready."  
  
"You worry too much. Who would be stupid enough to attack us here?" scoffed one of the men.  
  
A red ring of energy formed on the floor where the man stood. He screamed in pain as his body burst into flames and fell to the ground. Within a few seconds all that remained was a smoking skeleton.  
  
The men were on their feet in an instant and reaching for their weapons, scrambling to find their armor. It was far too late though. A dark green mass of scales slowly rose from the glowing ring and hissed at them.  
  
"What the hell is that?" screamed one of the men as it began to uncoil itself.  
  
"Wyvern," snarled another knight nearby as he prepared himself.  
  
The creature was a gigantic winged lizard, not unlike a small dragon. It's head scraped against the ceiling as it glanced around at those in the room. A small jet of flames escaped its mouth as it began to breathe. It's claws cut into the wooden floor and it slowly stalked forward towards the men.  
  
"Get ready!" called out one of the knights.  
  
"Die monster!" screamed a man beside him as he charged forward. The beast moved like lightening, it's neck snapped towards him and a ball of fire struck him in the chest. The unfortunate knight screamed in pain as he fell to the ground in flames.  
  
Konatsu was airborne in an instant. He flipped over the thing's head and slashed at it. A shower of sparks flew into the air as his sword cut into the scales on the thing's neck. He had managed to do nothing more than scratch its hide for his efforts. He landed and rolled away as the thing's tail snapped at him.  
  
"Get it!" cried one of the angry knights as he charged forward with his compatriots. They swarmed forward towards the beast. It roared angrily in reply and charged forward as well.  
  
Konatsu jumped up from the corner he had been standing in. Several flashes of metal appeared in the sky and stuck in the hide of the monster. Four throwing daggers that did nothing more than annoy the creature. The wyvern ignored him and tore into the crowd of knights with his teeth and claws. Blood sprayed into the air as they fell around him. Parts of their bodies flew and rolled across the ground leaving them screaming and injured or dead.  
  
"We need lady Ukyo," snapped Konatsu to the remaining knights. Only five had survived so far. He rushed towards the doors and was quickly followed. Once outside, another horrible surprise waited for them.  
  
Around twenty black clad knights stood with weapons drawn.  
  
The lead knight stepped forward and snarled. "Kill them. Kill them all."  
  
+++++++++  
  
Ukyo Kuonji sat up in her bed. A cold sweat covered her body. "What is this feeling?" She rolled upright and hung her legs off the edge of the bed as she held her head. Her eyes were wide and terror stricken. She slowly stood up and stared forward at her spear. The blade was glowing with a white light. "Danger? Here? What's going on?" She walked over to her new armor and frowned as she lifted it off of its place on the wall.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo laughed as she stared into the mirror once again and watched the slaughter of the knights in an almost euphoric pleasure. "Oh, how could they ever doubt me. Come my pet!" She waved her hand over the image of the wyvern and smirked. A handful of the knights had managed to make it outside, where Akane's troops waited for her. "You have done well, return home now." She smiled as the thing returned into the ring of flames that had spawned it. The image changed to a view of the five knights fending off Akane's forces. "Oh sister dear, we do work so well together. It's a pity you could not be there to see it." She paused as something flashed for a moment in the image. "Hmm? Could it be? Oh well, these few puny knights shall make no difference."  
  
++++++++  
  
Konatsu frowned as he stood with the two remaining knights. The pair was young, and relatively inexperienced. They held their broadswords ready on either side of him. The knights had them completely surrounded. "We will die, as we should."  
  
"I've got no intentions of dying," snapped one of the men next to him.  
  
"Yeah, but what can we do?" replied the other with a clearly worried look on his face.  
  
"Cut a hole through the weakest point, and run. That is our only chance for survival," replied Konatsu. He had also begun to see past his anger, to the benefits of survival. After all, Lady Ukyo still lived. Or so he hoped.  
  
"Well? Now what?" snapped the other knight.  
  
"What the hell is that?" said Konatsu as she noticed the glowing orange form of the castle nearby.  
  
The lead black knight did not reply. "Take them."  
  
The forces around them charged and closed the trap around them.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Konatsu saw something move.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ukyo Kuonji rushed across the rooftops of the city. It would take no more than a few moments to reach the barracks. She jumped down from the last roof and rushed into the large field the knights used for practice. The silver helmet that covered her head hid her stern face, and her long red cape billowed behind her as she charged around the back of the building. She stopped cold at what she saw. Seven black knights stood alone, they looked tired and battle worn. The bodies of three of her fellow knights lay on the ground around them. An aura of anger surrounded her as she stared at them hatefully.  
  
"What have you done here?"  
  
"Look, it's another one!" snapped one of them. The anger in his voice was quickly abated when he saw her aura burning around them.  
  
"You'll all die!" screamed the angry Ukyo as she pointed her spear at them. A ball of white energy began to form on the tip of the blade. It was no larger than a golf ball.  
  
"Get her!" cried one of the men in a panic. It was far too late. The last thing the men ever saw was a white light engulfing them.  
  
Ukyo fell to her knees and sobbed as the remains of their armor clanked to the ground in front of her. She slowly rose to her feet and began to search through the bodies. The three outside she could recognize, but once inside she could not make out the remains of her late friends. Those who were not burned beyond recognition, appeared to be chewed and half eaten by some unknown monster. She staggered outside of the building, out of the smell of burned and putrid flesh. She lifted the visor on her helmet and became violently sick. She staggered and leaned against the wall in an attempt to support herself. She fell to her knees regardless and looked towards the black knight's bodies. "There's a lot of them dead. I'm glad they all died bravely." Her sorrow began to overwhelm them again. She stood up and began to walk away. After a moment, she paused and looked at one of the black knight's remains. It looked like the back of his armor had been ripped off; there was nothing inside but a wet red mess with a few bones protruding from the gore.  
  
"What could have done this?" she wondered for a moment.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood in the shadows and glared at the three men in front of him angrily.   
  
"Who are you? What are you?" said one of the younger men.  
  
"I'm something you never saw," replied the pigtailed boy darkly.  
  
"Right, I am Hiroshi, this is Daisuke, and the girl here is Konatsu," said the other man cheerfully. He made no move to approach the shadowy figure though. "We are in your debt. Please tell us who, or what you are? There will be questions."  
  
"So what. Stay away from the castle. You'll only get yourselves killed," snapped Ranma as he turned away from them.  
  
Konatsu narrowed his eyes slightly. "You are not with the Emperor, are you?" He recognized the voice from somewhere, but could not place it.  
  
"Tell them, the Dragon Ghost has rescued you," replied the shadow with a small chuckle as it vanished. "You'd best get out of town, take the other knight with you. You'll all be killed if you stay here. We will take care of the Emperor."  
  
"We?" said Daisuke in confusion.  
  
"Let's go. We're going to get Lady Ukyo," said Konatsu as he whirled around and walked out of the alley.  
  
Hiroshi watched the shadows nervously. "The Dragon Ghost? That was him? Man, what does a guy like that want here?"  
  
"It's not our concern at the moment. We have more important matters," snapped the feminine man angrily.  
  
"Right," replied both knights as they followed after him.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"You old softy, I knew you wouldn't leave her," said Ryu lazily as he met Ranma on a rooftop near the scene.  
  
"Shut up. I don't want a word of this getting around. I did what I could. Let's go."  
  
"My lips are sealed, for now," said the boy with a chuckle. "Come on, the others are getting worried. I'll just tell them you went looking for a whore or something."  
  
"You shut up!" snapped Ranma as he started to chase his partner across the rooftops.  
  
++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The volcanic palace.  
  
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com  
  
Well, you finally know who the Emperor is. Everyone kept guessing Happosai, though, I imagine this won't be a surprise for a lot of you. I got tired of writing aide all the time, but if I gave Kiima away, you'd have known for sure. Oh well.   
  
On a side note, Hiroshi and Daisuke were last minute additions, that's why you don't see their names sooner. I was going to just kill all the knights. I figured I might get a few jokes out of these two. They won't be traveling with the party though, it's getting kind of crowded, and I don't want to over do it.  
  
P.S. Happy does have a part in this later on.  
  
  



	9. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and the Ghost  
  
Part 9  
  
The Volcanic Castle  
  
Saffron smirked as he stared into the eyes of the Queen. Rouge glared at him angrily from her chains as she was forced to her knees with a rough shove. She turned her head and glared at Herb angrily. He kept a tight grip on the chains behind her that bound all of her arms. He placed his foot in the small of her back, forcing her down further.  
  
"So, the Queen has bowed before my demands," said the boy with a vicious smirk. "I accept your surrender. Please sign over your country to me."  
  
"I will never concede to you! My knights..."  
  
"Are dead. The Black Knights, nicely did away with them," finished Herb with his smirk growing even wider.  
  
"Yes, Akane Tendo was an excellent replacement for her father. She is quite strict, and has no tolerance for weakness," agreed Kiima. "Their bodies will be put on display along the outer wall of the palace."  
  
"No! It isn't true!" snarled the angry queen as she attempted to stand.   
  
Herb forced her back to the ground and bent down next to her. "Your Highness, surely a goddess would have chosen a much better place than this to rule. Unless you like the cold for some odd reason, or perhaps you just don't like heat. Or should I say, hot water?" His words were a whisper. They did have the desired effect though. Rouge's eyes went wide and she forced a gasp from her lips.  
  
"How did?"  
  
"That's none of your concern. Only that I do know, matters now."   
  
"Herb!" snapped Kiima.  
  
The man looked up at the frowning face of the Emperor and bowed. "Apologies. I am merely trying to persuade her to cooperate. After all, I do not dislike her. We have spent much time together, during my diplomatic missions here."  
  
Saffron nodded and waved his hand. "Her cooperation is not really needed. After all, the legion that follows us here will ensure our victory. By tomorrow, the entire country will be well within my grasp. She is yours Herb, do as you will with her."  
  
"Highness," replied the man with a low bow. He lifted the woman up by her arms and carried her from the throne room.  
  
++++++++  
  
Akane glared forward as she stood in front of the room containing the Kajakan. After insuring that the door was the only entrance to the dungeon, she had left the room. The Kajakan did not really need a guard; its power was enough to destroy any thief that might dare touch it. Apparently, Saffron thought she needed something to do.   
  
She growled slightly and glanced around. Lime and Mint were back with their master at the moment, and she was bored. The steam that rose from the ground created a sauna throughout the entire castle. Occasionally, a blast of steam would jet through one of the walls. Her armor kept her protected, thanks to her sister's enchantment, but it was still damn uncomfortable.   
  
Saffron also left a few nasty surprises in the halls as well. That meant she was going to stand here doing nothing for the rest of the trip. Herb would come down on occasion and try to catch her sleeping, or relaxing. Once again, her sister's anti sleep pills would keep her vigilant. She hated owing the sorceress favors; she often took payment in the most unusual ways. It irritated her to no end. Once, Nabiki had made her wear a dress to the ball that followed the tournament where she had beaten Saffron's best knights. That was when that moron Kuno started to bother her.  
  
Nabiki actually seemed amused with this problem. The only reason she hadn't gutted the poor fool already, was his nobility status. She sighed and remained standing rigidly in front of the door.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Outside the palace, a large crowd had gathered. Black knights stood in front of the gates, guarding the entrance. While others posted notices that the land was now a part of the Empire. Through the gates around the city, more guards, soldiers, and knights arrived each hour.   
  
"Well, that's the end of Joketsuko," muttered Ryu.  
  
"It's a shame, but now you see why our mission is so important. He could easily do the same thing to any country. No one here knows how he did it," said Shampoo.  
  
"I don't like being out in the open like this," grumbled Ryoga.  
  
"What did you want us to do? Hide ourselves in suspicious looking cloaks, and cling to the shadows? They'd grab us for just looking like that," snapped Ranma quietly.  
  
"Well, what should we do?" asked Shampoo.  
  
"Not sure, wait till nightfall at least," replied Ryu.  
  
"He's right, with this much protection, we won't be able to sneak you in easily. We need this to go smoothly," agreed Ranma. "I'm not sure if we can pull it off. They're bound to be watching that thing with magic. If it was just me, I could probably pull it off."  
  
"It has to be me. If you tried to grab the Kajakan on your own, you would be killed the instant you touched it," replied Shampoo sharply.  
  
"You shouldn't be discussing such things in public," said a new voice.   
  
Ranma seemed to vanish for a moment. He appeared behind the cloaked man standing behind them and grabbed him by the neck. The rest of the group surrounded the scene quietly and pushed towards an alleyway nearby.  
  
Once hidden away from the eyes of the crowd Ranma backed against the wall. He had a small knife pressed against the stranger's neck. "You should learn to keep your mouth shut. I can help with that if you'd like. After applying a little pressure, he relaxed his grip and pushed the stranger away.  
  
She pulled back her hood and smiled lightly before she embraced Ranma and kissed him. He stared in shock and dropped the knife as she pulled away.  
  
"Ucchan? What the hell are you doing here? You've got to get out of town! You'll be killed!"  
  
"Don't worry Ranchan, I'm not wearing a uniform right now. They'll never know a cute girl like me is a knight. Right?" Ranma was sent to his knees as he was promptly punched in the gut. "I'm glad you're here Ranchan, but why are you here?" Her face had gone from a gentle smile, to a full-blown scowl in a split second.  
  
"What do you think? You heard us talking," replied Ryu calmly.  
  
"As did anyone else within ten feet," replied the girl sharply.  
  
"These people don't care. They're too worried about what the empire is going to do to them," replied Shampoo with a small shrug.  
  
"And if one of them decides to rat you out? Maybe to make sure nothing happens to them?"  
  
"It won't matter. They don't know who we are," replied Ranma with a shrug.  
  
"And who exactly are you?" snapped Ukyo.  
  
"That...is a secret," replied Ryu as he winked and wagged his finger at her.  
  
"Gods! How stupid do you think I am?" snapped Ukyo. "This is why you came here to begin with isn't it? To steal that staff?"  
  
"Well, kinda," said Ranma sheepishly.  
  
"And you didn't tell me? You lied to me?" Ukyo was furious.  
  
Ryu chuckled at this. "Oh, would you please help us steal from an important guest of your queen, Miss Knight? I know you're not sworn to protect her or anything, and you'd be a big help!"  
  
Ukyo frowned at him and looked away. "Okay, I see your point."  
  
"How many other knights have you found?" asked Ryoga as he pushed up to her.  
  
"Huh? Only three. Konatsu, Hiroshi, and Daisuke. They're waiting outside of town. I came in to see how bad things were," said Ukyo.  
  
"About as bad as they can get," noted Shampoo.  
  
"You don't know the half of it. All the other knights were killed. I've gotten word that the other garrisons have been destroyed as well. We three are the last." Ukyo looked near the point of tears as she said this. "There's nothing we can do."  
  
"Then get out of town. Let us do our job," said Ranma firmly.  
  
"I can't do that. I've got to try. I'm coming with you," replied the girl as she glared at him.  
  
"Absolutely not! You'll shine like a beacon inside that castle! You're too tied down by all that magic," replied Ryu.  
  
"I'm going in anyway. I don't need my spear, or my armor to fight. I did well enough before without it," snapped Ukyo firmly. "I'm doing this with or without you."  
  
"Then you're doing it without us," said Ryu coldly.  
  
"I'll go with her then," said Ranma.  
  
"What?" snapped Shampoo. "I need you to get in there!"  
  
"No you don't. My technique will be useless. I can't hide the both of us, Ryu would be better protection. You'll go after the Kajakan with him, while Ukyo and I provide a distraction."  
  
"Hey! Why are we a diversion?" snapped the knight angrily.  
  
"Do you have a weapon?" asked Ranma as he ignored her ranting.  
  
Ukyo paused and lifted up her cloak. She was wearing plain looking peasant clothes underneath it; a pair of pants and a shirt. At her side, a short-sword hung from her belt.  
  
"Good enough. Get rid of that cloak," said Ranma as he pulled the offending item from her neck and tossed it away.  
  
"Hey!"   
  
"Quit complainin will ya? You stick out like a sore thumb wearing that thing."  
  
Shampoo smiled at this, and looked towards the dwarf. He glanced up at her and shrugged his shoulders. "What?"  
  
"Perhaps Ryoga should accompany you two as well?" said the elf calmly.  
  
"Hey, that ain't a bad idea," said Ryu.  
  
Ranma frowned and glared at them.  
  
"What the hell you talkin about?" snapped Ryoga. "I told you! He ain't leavin my sight until I get paid! I was goin with him anyway!"  
  
"All right! Fine! Just, come on then," said the pigtailed boy as he started walking away. "It'll be better if we prepare separately."  
  
Ryu stopped and clenched his fist. "Damn! Ranma wait!"  
  
"Huh? What is it?"  
  
"We both know the truth, I make too much noise. You go with Shampoo. This is the one we don't want noticed."  
  
Ranma glanced at Ukyo and then back at Ryu.  
  
"I promise, I'll bring her back to you in once piece," said Ryu. He rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air.  
  
"All right," agreed Ranma after a few seconds of silence. "You'd better bring her back."  
  
"Ranchan?" muttered Ukyo.  
  
"Have I ever let you down?" said Kumon with a smirk.  
  
The two parties both started to walk away again. Ukyo broke away and rushed up behind Ranma grabbing him in a rough hug.  
  
"Promise me Ranchan, promise you'll come back to me this time. Don't lie again."  
  
"I promise," said the boy as he disappeared from her grasp suddenly, leaving her standing alone in the shadows. Shampoo disappeared with him, with a slightly surprised look on her face.  
  
"Come on! Quit wasting time!" snapped Ryoga grumpily. He paused and blinked. "Ranma! You bastard! How dare you leave me behind!"  
  
"Shut up and come on!" snapped Ryu as he pulled the feisty dwarf away by the back of his shirt. "Before one of those black knights notices us standing around in the shadows like rats."  
  
++++++++++  
  
"Man, I thought it'd take a lot longer for that noisy runt to notice he'd been duped," commented Ranma as he glanced down at their friends from the rooftops above them. He was holding Shampoo in his arms.  
  
"Well, that was quite a surprise. Just wanted to get me alone?" muttered Shampoo seductively as she hug from his neck. "By the way, you can put me down now, but only if you want too." Ranma looked at her and blinked as he set her down on the ground. "Aww, so soon?"  
  
"What's with you all of a sudden?" said the pigtailed boy as he blushed and scratched the back of his head.  
  
"Ukyo was having so much fun teasing you. I was starting to feel left out, that's all," said the elf girl as she put forth her cutest face.  
  
"Yeah. Great. Could you stop now? You're creeping me out," said Ranma nervously.  
  
"Oh don't be so serious. I thought you were the one with the sense of humor," said the elf with a small giggle.  
  
"Yeah? Well, even I can only take so much of that crap. Here I thought you were normal."  
  
"Hardly, normal is something I'm not allowed to be," grumbled Shampoo with a slight frown appearing on her face.  
  
"Sensitive spot?" the pigtailed boy raised his eyebrow slightly and smirked.  
  
"No. You just reminded me, that when this is over. I have to be a princess again."  
  
"Not much fun eh? I don't miss palace life, I'll tell you that much." Ranma started walking.  
  
"So, it is true?" muttered Shampoo, more to herself than Ranma.  
  
The boy snorted. "What of it? It doesn't matter anymore, it's all in the past. I'll never go back to it, even if I could."  
  
"It matters to some people," commented Shampoo with a light smirk. "Like snooty relatives, who insist on 'royal blood' being married into the family," finished her mind.  
  
"Whatever. Shampoo, you know more about me than anyone alive. Keep it that way, or you might not be," said the boy as he gave her a cold stare.  
  
The elf girl smirked slightly. She could see the fear in the back of his eyes, well hidden, but he did not want to hurt her. "Perhaps I have grown on him?" she thought wryly.  
  
Ranma watched her in silence for a moment. She had the weirdest smile on her face and didn't appear to be paying much attention. He shrugged his shoulders and pulled the flask from his side. After a moment, he was a young red-haired elf yet again. "Come on. We're leaving."  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ryu stepped into the darkened palace room carefully. Kajakan or no, there was no time for them to set up any magic spells that could watch the whole castle. Behind him Ryoga grunted and pulled himself up the rope into the window.   
  
"Urgh! Couldn't you have picked a lower window?" he whispered harshly.  
  
Ryu put his finger up to his lip and glared at him for a moment before turning again to scan the room with his eyes.  
  
Ukyo appeared a moment later and dusted herself off as she landed lightly on the floor. "Next time, I go first dwarf," she growled as she waved her hand in front of her face.  
  
"Eeh?" said Ryoga as he looked at her for a moment. He waved his hand and dismissed the comment. "Bah!"  
  
+++++++++  
  
A few moments later they were moving from shadow to shadow in the hallway. Ryu was trying his best to contain his anger. Ukyo was doing relatively well, but Ryoga grunted dwarfishly every time he had run across the hall.  
  
"These idiots are going to get me killed," he thought as he glanced back at the pair. They weren't there. "What the? Where did? Oh no. Ryoga."  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
"Are you sure he went this way? I haven't seen him since he disappeared," said Ukyo with a frown forming on her face. "Look, maybe we should go back to the room and wait for him there?"  
  
"I know where we're goin damn it!" snapped the dwarf as he strolled down the darkened hallway.   
  
Ukyo sighed and followed him. She didn't have much choice now.  
  
Ryoga jumped back and eeped in alarm as his foot hit one of the large stones on the ground. A jet of steam erupted all around him sending him jumping back howling in pain.  
  
The knight managed to grab him and shove a hand over his mouth roughly. They both paused as the entire hallway seemed to jump ten degrees in temperature in a split second.  
  
"What the hell was that?" said Ukyo quietly.  
  
Ryoga looked up at her and shrugged his shoulders. Only then did he notice the orange glow that was starting to shine from behind her. The pair slowly turned around and saw a large black lump sitting in the shadows behind them.  
  
"I've got a bad feeling about this," said the knight as she backed away from the mass with her sword drawn. It had started to move.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"Ranma, where are we?" said Shampoo as she looked around the room nervously.  
  
"We should be right above the dungeon," said the redhead as she glanced around the room. They were in some sort of drainage system. She didn't have the heart to tell Shampoo what it was for, but the smell probably gave it away.  
  
"This is great! What the hell are we going to do stuck in a pipe?" snapped the elf princess.  
  
Ranma smirked and tossed her hair as she turned to face her. "This is going to be pretty messy. Stand back." Her hands became a blur and a circular section of the pipe they were standing in started to fall away. Ranma reached down and grabbed it as it fell, pulling it up with a strained look on her face. She slid it back up through the hole, and then placed it on the ground on the opposite side of the opening.  
  
Shampoo blinked and looked down at herself. Whatever that slime was that lined the walls of the pipe, she was covered in it now. "Ranma, what is this? Is it what I think it is?"  
  
"It's better if you don't know," replied the redhead as she jumped down.  
  
Shampoo quickly followed, as she glanced around at her new surroundings, she realized that they were in a hallway of some kind. There was a thick haze of steam in the air, and the walls around them occasionally turned slightly orange with the heat generated from the Kajakan.  
  
"The Kajakan, where would he put it?" said Ranma as she looked to her companion.  
  
"The most probable place would be the lowest point of the castle."  
  
"Then we go down," said Ranma as she pointed towards a staircase.  
  
"Hurry," agreed Shampoo. She had started to feel the heat through the bottom of her shoes, a quick glance at Ranma revealed that she had realized the same thing.  
  
The pair raced down the steps as fast as they could. Ranma pulled ahead easily and slowed her pace slightly. A red glow became apparent from the bottom of the stairs. "There it is!" he said to himself.   
  
Shampoo caught up with him about the time he entered the large round room. There were several cells along the walls. Inside the bent and warped bars were the skeletons of the former inmates. Even they had a burnt look to them, as if touching them would reduce the remains to nothing but dust.   
Standing in the center of the room was the Kajakan. The red aura of power forced them to shield their faces in an attempt to push back the heat.  
  
Ranma noticed a wisp of smoke directly in front of her face. She looked down and saw that her shoes were beginning to smoke. "Hurry up and grab that damn thing!"  
  
Shampoo had already stepped forward. She had a tranced look in her eyes, and her hair was blowing as if pushed up by a magical wind. She seemed to glide forward as she reached for the staff. The light of the Kajakan seemed to almost swallow her up leaving only a blurry silhouette behind.  
  
"Come on! Take it!" whispered Ranma as she rubbed her fingers together in anticipation.  
  
Shampoo's had closed around the staff and hissed on contact, sending a few tendrils of smoke into the air. Slowly, the metal began to scrape the stone below as it was pulled away. Finally the young elf girl released the Kajakan from the ground and held it high over her head in the air. The red glow died down completely and left them in total blackness.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ryu Kumon was having a bad day. He was stuck in a castle full of hostile soldiers, looking for two lost idiots. It was not his idea of a good time. Apparently Ranma was doing all right. He knew this because none of the men sleeping in the rooms that lined the hallway had been awakened yet. If they were, he was basically screwed. He frowned and slipped into a room where the door was opened slightly. It was pitch black, with no windows to let in any light.  
  
"Who goes there?" said a small quiet voice.  
  
Ryu froze and slowly turned around. He grit his teeth and slowly began to draw his sword. If he was fast enough, and lucky enough...  
  
"You are not Lord Herb?" the voice sounded hopeful, and feminine.  
  
Ryu replaced the blade as he saw who was speaking. It was a young girl, sitting in what appeared to be a cage. "Who the hell?"  
  
"You've come to help me?" said the woman as she rushed up to the bars.  
  
"Nope, sorry. You're out of luck," said Ryu. "Who are you anyway?"  
  
"Oh! You must help me! Lord Herb locked me away in here! I can't stand it!"  
  
"Why should I?" said Ryu calmly.  
  
"If you don't, I'll scream," said the girl with tears starting to form in her eyes. There wasn't much light in the room, so he couldn't see her very well.  
  
"I'll bet I can shut you up before you do," replied Ryu as he slowly pulled the sword out again.  
  
"Please! You can't just leave me here!" cried the girl desperately.  
  
"Why not? You might be a trap. I've seen things that act like young girls in order to get men to drop their guard. Many wizards like to use them as traps. It'd be safer just to leave you where you are and leave."  
  
"Please no!" cried the girl desperately.  
  
"Sorry," Ryu turned away and stalked back towards the door.  
  
"Please! I'll do anything!" cried the girl in desperation. It was a little too loud for Ryu's liking.  
  
"She's gonna wake up the whole damn castle if I leave her here! Shit!" He slowly turned back and drew his sword again.  
  
He could see the girl cringe back with fear in the shadows. He hacked down and she squeaked in terror.   
  
"Damn, she would have died quietly too," grumbled the boy angrily. "You'd better be rich, or at least cute." He said as he grabbed her roughly by her arm and pulled her from the now opened cage. The heavy lock that had held her was in two pieces on the floor.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma's eyes adjusted to the darkness, then a small flash of light nearly blinded her. She cringed back and shielded her eyes for a moment. After she adjusted again she looked at the source. Shampoo had drawn a small light dagger from her side and planted it in the ground. She was holding her left hand gingerly, and it was obvious it was pretty badly burned. At her feet was the Kajakan.  
  
"Pick that up will you? I can't carry it until I heal my hand."  
  
"Right, you're a real riot," muttered Ranma.  
  
"I'm serious. The Kajakan will not harm you now. Its power has been sealed for now. Only the Emperor or a powerful wizard can use its magic now. It is nothing more than an interesting weapon to us."  
  
"Great, so let's get out of here," said the redhead cheerfully. "You can heal that after we're a safe distance away."  
  
"Right," agreed Shampoo as she pulled her dagger out of the ground. Ranma frowned at the knife, but said nothing.  
  
"Well, it seems I've got rats in my cellar," said an amused sounding voice from above them.  
  
Ranma and Shampoo stepped back as the black clad figure stalked down the stairs with her sword drawn.  
  
"That armor," muttered Ranma with her eyes growing wide. "I know that armor!"  
  
"I am Akane, leader of the Emperor's Black Knights. You will not leave this dungeon alive." The menacing woman took up a combat stance and Ranma narrowed his eyes.  
  
"I also know this style," she said out loud. "Anything Goes Martial Arts."  
  
"How do you know that?" said Akane with an amused chuckle. "Has it killed one of your friends, or perhaps a family member."  
  
Ranma smirked. "No, it left about twenty of your men dead outside the barracks of the Knights of Bahamut." She took up her own combat stance and smiled as she stared into the black knight's eyes.  
  
Akane was speechless, her mind raced for an explanation and could find none. "How can this be? It's not possible!"  
  
"You also wear the armor of the man who killed my father. I guess I'll have to let you live, so I can find out who he really is," thought the redhead with a small frown.  
  
Shampoo picked up the Kajakan with her good hand and backed away into the shadows. She would be of no use without her burnt hand in a fight like this.It would be best to try and leave before things got out of hand. Ranma glanced at her and gave her a small nod in approval. The redhead then turned her attention towards the black knight, and did not waver again.  
  
+++++++++++=  
  
I know you hate me this time. TBC...  
  
Next time: Ranma vs. Akane. Ryu attempts to find Ryoga and Ukyo with the girl he 'rescued'. The question is, did she need rescuing, and who is she really? Also, Ryoga and Ukyo have problems of their own to deal with.  
  
C&C to Carrotglace@juno.com  
  



	10. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost.  
  
Part 11  
  
Escape from the Mountain Palace.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ryu Kumon paused in the shadows with his grip firmly on the young girl's wrist. They had yet to move away from the shadows, and were walking down the darkened hallways silently together.  
  
She pulled at him for a moment and gasped. "Wait! Where are we going?"  
  
Ryu frowned and glanced back at her for a moment. He still hadn't gotten a good look at her face. "Shut up and follow me. We'll leave soon enough."  
  
She made an unpleasant grumble, but remained quiet otherwise as he pulled at her arm.  
  
Ryu paused as a pale blue light appeared down the hallway. He frowned and moved towards it slowly. "What is that?" It was a steady light and did not flicker.  
  
"We shouldn't go any closer," warned the woman carefully.  
  
"Why not? Do you know what it is?" asked Ryu.  
  
"No, but I feel an evil presence." He could feel her pull away from his grip slightly.  
  
"You aren't going anywhere without me kid. I still don't trust you," he snapped as he pulled her behind him and moved in closer.  
  
She whimpered slightly and allowed herself to be pulled along.  
  
The light was coming from a slightly opened door at the end of the hallway. It was large and ornately decorated carvings of men and women floating on clouds. It appeared to be made of gold, but closer inspection revealed it was only a painted heavy wood. Ryu pressed himself against the wall and crept up slowly, his arm was pushed across the woman's chest holding her down as he slowly approached the doorway.  
  
"What the hell is this?" he whispered as he peered inside the crack.   
  
It was an almost empty room; there was nothing but a large crystal of some kind. There were no guards, and nothing that looked like a trap of any kind. He slowly pushed at the door and entered carefully. His eyes went wide with horror at what he found inside. The woman pressed herself against his back and glanced around nervously.  
  
He turned to look at her in the light for a moment and pushed her off of him gently. She was beautiful, long white hair flowed down her back, and she was dressed in expensive looking clothes with a long cape flowing down her back. His gaze shifted back at the massive crystal in the center of the room.  
  
Inside was a young woman of about his age, with long black hair. A look of pain was frozen on her face and she looked like she was trying to escape her prison. "What the hell?" he muttered as he stared at her for a moment.   
  
"Dark sorcery," muttered the woman with him carefully.  
  
"Is it that obvious?" he snapped back at her.  
  
"Done quite skillfully," muttered the woman with an odd look in her eyes.  
  
The crystal seemed to sparkle as he moved around it, if not for the richly dressed woman inside, it would have been quite beautiful. "Why would it take this much to imprison one woman?" muttered Ryu as he rubbed the surface of the crystal. Spells like this were familiar to him; they were usually used to imprison powerful sorcerers. She didn't even look like a minor witch.  
  
"We should go," pressed the woman urgently.  
  
"You're right," grumbled Ryu as he glanced at the woman one last time. This was something he really didn't need to deal with. He paused at the door and glanced back at her one more time. "Damn."  
  
"What is it?" said the woman nervously.  
  
"Look, on her neck," he said pointing towards something in her grip.  
  
"What is it?" the woman looked towards the figure and saw an odd looking necklace. "That's..."  
  
"I don't want you telling anyone of what we saw here," said Ryu as he turned towards her with a frown on his face.  
  
"Why would I do that? Who would I tell?" said the woman as she turned away from him.  
  
Ryu smirked at her. "Goodbye lady." He slowly drew his sword.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ukyo stepped back with her sword in her hands, Ryoga growled and stood his ground with his battle-axe in his hands.   
  
"What is it?" snapped the dwarf as he eyed the slowly uncoiling mass of black in front of him. A hissing sound answered him and he had to stop himself from taking a step back.  
  
"A serpent," replied Ukyo quietly. Her hands were shaking with fear, but she forced herself to stand her ground. The rooms around them were empty, but there was no where for them to run. The thing was between them and the hallway. Only a window that led to the outside of the castle and a vertical drop of about two thousand feet was behind them.  
  
The moonlight shone in as the thing moved forward. It was still hidden in the shadows, but the outline of its body could be seen rising from the floor. It was easily a foot in diameter, and three heads could be seen weaving back and fourth in the silhouette. It reared itself up to its full height and almost reached the ceiling, a long body vanished into the darkness behind it.   
  
"Great," grumbled Ryoga as he recognized the thing as it came into the light that shone behind them. "It's a young hydra."  
  
The thing hissed menacingly. It looked almost like a giant three-headed snake; each head had two large yellow eyes that glared at the pair. The thing's heads looked almost bird like, with two long fangs protruding from the top and bottom jaws of each mouth.  
  
"We can't run," said Ukyo nervously.  
  
"You know any fire magic?" snapped the dwarf as he swiped at it with his axe. The thing jumped back and snapped at him angrily.  
  
"No. All the magic I ever needed was in my spear, and my armor," replied the girl as she moved up beside him and slashed with her sword. It stayed just ahead of the blades and snapped at them angrily.  
  
"We're in trouble then," replied the dwarf as he glanced around. There were no torches on the walls, not even unlit ones.  
  
"What do we do?" asked Ukyo carefully.  
  
"We've got to get by it," snarled the dwarf as he jumped and hacked down on one of the heads. A long cut appeared on its neck and blood splattered on the floor. The stone began to hiss angrily as the blood boiled on the ground where it landed. A foul smelling vapor rose from the ground where the liquid had fallen. "Don't get any of that on ye," said the dwarf.  
  
"Poisonous?" said Ukyo with a small nod.  
  
"And venomous," confirmed Ryoga with a small nod.  
  
"Great," muttered the knight. She stepped forward and slashed at the thing, forcing it back slightly. She was forced to jump back as two of the heads countered back at her.  
  
Ryoga grit his teeth and snarled angrily. "Damn you Ranma! I can't die like this! This is all your fault!"  
  
"Shut up and fight you jackass!" snapped the knight as she stepped forward offensively again.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Akane stepped into the room with the two elves and smirked. "Well, an elf who knows my style? How unusual. Tell me how you learned of it, before I kill you."  
  
"Fat chance," replied the redhead as she tensed her body up in anticipation.  
  
"I suppose I'll just have to beat it out of you then," snapped the black knight in retort. She pulled the mask down from her helmet and placed it over her face. It was as black as the rest of it. Even the horn that protruded from the samurai helmet was made of black iron.  
  
"Not gold," muttered Ranma as she eyed her opponent carefully.  
  
"Pardon?" said Akane as she drew her sword.  
  
"You'll find out soon enough!" snapped Ranma as she rushed forward.  
  
Akane gasped as the elf appeared in front of her face. "What?" She sliced through the air with her massive blade, only to find the young girl was gone. "So fast!"  
  
"You're going to tell me everything I want to know," said a voice from the shadows. Akane found herself spinning in place as she searched for her opponent.   
  
"What sort of demon are you?" she screamed in rage.  
  
"I'm no demon, I am a ghost of the past," said the voice ominously.  
  
"Damn you! Coward! Show yourself! Fight me!"  
  
"If that's the way you want it," said Ranma as she appeared just behind her. "I won't disappear again, but you'll wish I had."  
  
Akane swung her sword in a wide arc, only to find the elf had skillfully jumped over the blade. She had only a fraction of a second to brace herself as the elf's foot slammed into her mask.  
  
Ranma landed lightly on the still steaming ground and frowned as she put her fists up. The black knight landed on her back roughly, her sword flew from her hand and skittered across the stone wall, finally coming to rest against the metal bars of the cells turned tombs. "Who is the man who wears armor like yours, but with a golden mask?"  
  
"What?" grumbled Akane as she slowly staggered to her feet. "I've never seen armor like that."  
  
"I don't believe you," said Ranma angrily.  
  
Akane stared the girl down and glanced over to her sword. She looked back at the elf once again and began to tear her armor off of her body. She threw the pieces against the wall, leaving only her gauntlets and boots on. The clothing underneath was a black silk dogi. She snarled and brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "Now, you'll regret not dying quietly."  
  
Ranma snorted and put her fists up. "Come on then."  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"What?" snapped the girl as Ryu stalked up to her with his sword drawn.  
  
"I thought as much. You're trying to find out if I'm here with anyone else."  
  
The girl seemed to cringe in fear under his gaze. "I-I..."  
  
"Shut up," snarled the boy as he raised his blade over his head.  
  
"No!" screamed the girl as she thrust her hand forward. Ryu saw a tiny light form there, and was then thrown against the far wall roughly.  
  
He staggered to his feet and shook his head. The girl seemed to by crying as she leaned against the wall. He frowned as he realized that he was wrong. She was laughing.  
  
"I never was one for patience, guess I rushed things a bit," said the woman as she faced him with a vicious smirk on her face. He put her hand up towards him and Ryu screamed in pain as he was forced back into the wall again. "I was hoping you'd lead me to your partner. I have business to discuss with him, or should I say... her?"  
  
"Bitch! I knew I should have killed you in that cage!"  
  
"Fool, do you really think I would have allowed that?" retorted the woman with her smile growing wider.  
  
Ryu staggered forward as the power let up and released him. "That was a mistake," he growled, a trickle of blood ran down his chin and he coughed. There was an imprint of his body in the wall behind him as he staggered forward.  
  
"Perhaps, but I've still got some questions for you," said the woman coldly.  
  
"Who are you?" snapped Ryu.  
  
"That would be telling. I do have some questions for you though, I hope you'll answer honestly. This could get quite messy otherwise."  
  
Ryu staggered forward and leaned on the crystal in the center of the room. He bent down and picked up his sword from the ground and stood in a shaky offensive stance. "Fuck you."  
  
"Oh, let's be nice about this," replied the woman as she raised her hand again.  
  
Ryu screamed in pain as energy crackled through his body. He fell to his knees and fell to the ground face first.  
  
The woman smiled as she stepped back and lowered her hand again. "Now, let's begin." Ryu looked up at her just in time to see her hand thrust forward again. He was lifted from the ground and pressed against the crystal with his back against it. He snarled angrily as he felt every part of his body begin to buckle against the surface.   
  
"Damn you!" screamed the boy as he managed to lift his arms up and point the sword forward. The woman smiled darkly, but it quickly faded as the boy slowly turned the blade towards himself.  
  
"What is he?" she managed as she pushed him against the crystal harder.  
  
Ryu smirked at her with a wild rage in his eyes. He had begun to mutter something under his breath. "Dispel!" he cried out in triumph as he stabbed downward.  
  
"No!" screamed the woman as the blade of the sword struck the surface of the crystal.  
  
Lines of cracks began to appear along the surface. A bright light started to shine from inside the prison enveloping the entire room.  
  
As the light cleared, Ryu stood in the center of the room with a wide grin on his face. The woman trapped inside the crystal was lying on the ground, still unconscious. The boy's sword was back in its sheath and he looked like he was quite unharmed, despite what the woman had done.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I've been playing weak, get it?" snapped Ryu as he glared at her.  
  
"Hmm, I wasn't expecting a thief to be a real fighter," said the woman with a dark smile forming on her face. "I guess I don't have to hold back anymore."  
  
Ryu's smile fell slightly at this, but he remained firm. "You don't know what you're dealing with."  
  
"On the contrary, I know exactly what I'm dealing with," said the woman sharply. "It is you, who doesn't realize what's happening."  
  
"Come on then!" snarled Ryu angrily as he put up his fists.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ryoga jumped back and snarled angrily as the threw his cloak on the ground. The fur had begun to melt away as on of the creature's neck sprayed it's blood into the hall. Ukyo was pressed against the wall near the window and growled as the dwarf appeared beside her.  
  
"What the hell were you thinking?" she snapped.  
  
"You shut up! That thing was gonna eat me!" he retorted. The serpent had moved back and was hidden in the shadows once again. The two remaining heads began to scream in pain as it writhed on the ground for a moment.  
  
Another spray of blood appeared on the ground in front of the pair and they edged back against the wall nervously.   
  
"Now what?" snapped Ukyo angrily.  
  
"We're no worse off than we were before!" snapped the dwarf.  
  
"We've got to get out of here!" cried Ukyo as the Hydra approached again. This time, there were four heads glaring at them angrily.  
  
"I don't want to die!" cried the dwarf in despair.   
  
"Shut up! We aren't going to die!" snapped Ukyo as she stepped forward into the puddle of blood.  
  
"Yes we are, there's no way we can win," muttered the dwarf as he let his axe touch the ground in front of them. "Ukyo, cut off all the heads," he said suddenly.  
  
"What?" she screamed.  
  
"Just do it," he replied. He seemed to be struggling with something.   
  
Ukyo looked at him, his eyes told everything. He just wanted it to be over quickly.  
  
"We aren't going to survive if I do," she commented.  
  
"It doesn't matter. Just make sure this thing remembers us," he replied quietly. Tears were running down his face as he said this. "It's all over for us. I'm not so foolish as to think otherwise."  
  
Ukyo nodded at him and got and turned to glare at the beast. She held her sword in front of her horizontally. One hand on the hilt, and the other along the blade. "Come on you bastard! Eat this!" She rushed forward suddenly. The hydra snapped at her and she rolled underneath its strikes slashing at the base of the neck. Her sword went through smoothly and a spray of the blood shot out towards her, she braced herself for the horrible death and closed her eyes.  
  
"SHI SHI HOUKOU DAN!"  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ranma smirked as she punched the girl in the face, sending her staggering back under the force of the blow.   
  
"Damn you!" muttered Akane angrily as she swung again and again, putting everything she had into her assault. The red-haired girl danced around the blows almost mockingly. "I will not fail!"  
  
"You already have, you were supposed to be guarding the Kajakan, weren't you?" replied the elf in reply.  
  
"What?" snapped Akane as she realized something was wrong. She stopped her attack and glanced around the room. "Where?" The other elf was gone.  
  
"Boy, are you gonna get it now," said the elf girl mockingly.  
  
"I'll kill you!" screamed Akane in rage. She charged forward and punched out at her opponent again. She missed and shattered the stone wall behind the redhead.  
  
"Not today!" snapped the elf girl as she appeared behind her with her knee in her neck. Akane slumped to the ground, out cold.  
  
"Damn! I still don't know who that damn armor belongs too! Wake up!" cried the elf girl as she pulled the fallen knight up by her collar and slapped her repeatedly across her face. "Shit!" she cried in frustration.  
  
"Ranma! Leave her! It's time to go!" said Shampoo as she rushed down the stairs with the Kajakan in her hand.  
  
"What the hell are you still doing here? Get out of the castle!" snarled the redhead angrily. "You know the way!"  
  
"I won't leave you behind," insisted the violet haired elf as she started back up the stairs again.  
  
"Damn it!" snarled Ranma in frustration as she glared down at the black knight.  
  
++++++++  
  
Ryu glared at the woman angrily. "Get out of my way."  
  
"You're not going anywhere, until I find out exactly what I want to know!" replied the sorceress with a dark look in her eyes.  
  
"DON'T MOVE!" cried Ryu as he rushed towards her suddenly.  
  
"Bah! Pathetic!" snarled the woman as she shoved her hand forward again and sent Ryu sprawling across the ground. The boy landed on top of the girl who was trapped inside the crystal and she gave a small whimpering cry.  
  
"Damn it," thought the boy as he glared at the woman who stood between himself and freedom. He glanced down at the girl underneath him and frowned.  
  
The woman had started to walk towards him with a dark smile on her face. He stood up and lifted the dark haired girl up in his arms. "Move!" screamed Ryu as he rushed forward.  
  
The sorceress put her hand up again and thrust it towards the boy. Her eyes went wide at what he did next. He pushed the girl up in front of himself, using her as a shield. "What?"  
  
All of a sudden, Ryu was next to her, still holding the girl in front of his body. The sorceress shifted her weight to dodge the strike that came next, but it was too late. An impossibly powerful blow struck her in the chest. She was thrown across the room and slammed into the wall, causing a crater in the stone. She jerked upright, holding her chest and attempted to get her breath back desperately. Finally, she fell to her knees coughing violently. After a moment she managed to regain control of herself.  
  
"He tried to tear my heart out with his bare hands! If I hadn't moved in time..." Her eyes narrowed as she glanced around the room and found him long gone. "Damn! I didn't count on him being so ruthless." She stalked forward towards the hall and threw open the doors with a powerful aura surrounding her body. "I will kill him!"  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ukyo Kuonji stood without a shirt on and leaned against the wall breathing harshly. The only thing covering her chest was the tight bindings she used to hold her breast down. Her right arm was bandaged as well, just below her shoulder. She glared at the dwarf angrily. "Why the hell didn't you tell me you could do that?"  
  
"It's an old mining technique among dwarves. We used it to clear away rubble from cave-ins and rockslides. It's very dangerous to use, and you must have a sense of complete despair for it to work. If I had even considered for a moment that I might use it to beat that monster, it would not have worked." Ryoga was leaning over the body of the hydra. He lifted a jar up in his hands and closed it carefully before placing it in the bag that hung from his side. The four necks were sealed shut by the heat from the shi shi houkou dan. The remains of five heads lined the hallway where the battle had taken place.  
  
"Come on, let's get the hell out of here," snapped the woman angrily as she moved towards an intersection of halls. There were four, and they each went in a different direction.  
  
"Fine! Don't thank me then!" retorted the dwarf as he caught up. "Eh? What's that noise?"  
  
Ukyo paused and glanced down the hall, she drew her sword once again at the sound of distant explosions. "That's coming from inside the castle!"  
  
"D'ya hear someone shouting?" said Ryoga as he cocked his head.  
  
"Ryu?" said Ukyo as she started to turn away and jog down the hall opposite the one where the sounds were coming from.   
  
Ryu appeared from around a corner just behind her, he appeared to be carrying someone on his back and was running down the hall with a panicked look on his face.  
  
"Move it! She's pissed!" he screamed as he started to catch up.  
  
"What the hell did you do?" cried Ukyo angrily.   
  
The familiar clatter of soldiers rushing up behind them started to fill the hallway behind her.  
  
She glanced back and saw men starting to fill the halls behind her, all of them armed. She rushed up to Ryu and screamed angrily. "What kind of thief are you? You woke up the whole damn castle!"  
  
"The noisy one!" retorted the boy as he pulled ahead of her.   
  
Ukyo blinked as she noticed the young girl draped over his back. She had a somewhat worn look about her, and was dressed in the remains of an expensive looking gown. She was also smoking slightly, as if she had been blasted from behind several times.  
  
"I'll kill you!" screamed an angry feminine voice from behind them. Ryoga glanced over his shoulder and saw a woman with long white hair floating over the crowd of soldiers. Throwing blasts of energy indiscriminately at anyone who got in front of her. Men were thrown aside by the dozens as she shot her way down the hallway with an angry snarl on her face.  
  
"What the hell did ya do?" he screamed as he rushed up to Ukyo and Ryu as fast as he could.  
  
"There it is!" screamed Ryu as he pointed to the room where they had entered the castle from. He rushed inside and put on two gloves over his hands. The sounds of explosions grew ever closer and he jumped out the widow grabbing the rope. "Don't just stand there! Move!" he screamed at Ryoga and Ukyo.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ranma glared at the stares Shampoo was giving her. "What the hell are you doing?"   
  
"I'm taking her with me! She's got some questions to answer!" retorted the redhead angrily as she shoved the elf girl aside and carried the unconscious knight over her shoulder.  
  
"Are you out of your mind?" snapped Shampoo as she rushed up beside her.  
  
"I'll get rid of her later. I have to know, I've come to far to give up now. Besides, we don't have time to interrogate her here!" snapped Ranma in retort as she pushed by.  
  
"You idiot!" retorted the elf angrily as she followed behind him. "You'll get us all killed!"  
  
"I got that stupid staff for you didn't I? Quit complaining!" replied the pigtailed elf as she jumped down into the tunnels that would lead them outside.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
The sorceress burst into the room and screamed in rage as she blasted everything inside to dust. She floated around for a moment looking through the burned remains for any signs of her prey. The soldiers who survived the chase through the hallways, wisely chose to search elsewhere.   
  
She glared around and frowned as she saw a glint of metal hanging from the window. She rushed over and peered outside, only to find a long empty rope hanging there. "Nooooooo!" she screamed in rage.  
  
Lime and Mint rushed into the room with panicked looks on their faces. "Lord Herb! What is happening?"  
  
"Damn them! You two idiots get me some hot water! Right now!" snapped the woman as she turned to face them.  
  
"Yessir!" the chimed nervously, before rushing away. They stumbled over one another as they attempted to squeeze through the door at the same time.  
  
"No one makes a fool out of me!" she snarled as she punched the wall, creating another window. "Damn them!" She paused as a realization came to her suddenly. She rushed out into the hallway and grabbed two men who had been walking by in their search for the intruders. "You two! Gather as many men as you can and go to the dungeon! At once!"  
  
"Yes at once... Uh, who are you?" said one of the men nervously.  
  
"Shut up and do it or I'll burn you alive!" snapped the angry woman. Her eyes became two small slits as she glared at them.  
  
"Yes Ma'am! Right away!" agreed the other as he elbowed his companion in the ribs.  
  
After they left, Herb smirked to herself. "Perhaps this is not the disaster it seems to be. The Kajakan could be gone, if that is so..." She chuckled darkly and turned towards her chambers.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo stood in front of her mirror at the Imperial Palace. She chuckled to herself and watched the scene unfold before her. "Yes, soon it will be time for you to fulfill your destiny Herb darling. I can't wait." A cold smile slowly crept onto her face as the image faded away. "Soon, very soon indeed." Her laughter echoed through the hallways of the palace long into the night.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Soun sighed as he placed his teacup down on the small table next to his personal throne. "There she goes again. I honestly wonder about my daughter some times."  
  
His wife looked over at him coolly. "As do I. I wonder what could have caused this?"  
  
He flashed a small glare at her and shook his head. "I'm tired."  
  
"I'll remember that tonight husband," said the woman as she turned away from him.  
  
Kasumi appeared with another tray of tea and walked up to them. "Oh my. Nabiki seems so cheerful lately." She began to serve her parents tea full of blissful ignorance.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Ryu smirked as he took off his gloves and watched his companions blowing on their hands desperately. They had slid down the rope rather quickly at his insistence. "Well, that's that. Let's get out of here before they start combing the place for us." He stood up and started to walk away.  
  
"Wait! What about her?" said Ukyo as she pointed towards the unconscious girl. Ryu had left her lying on the ground.  
  
"Right. Bring her if you want," said the boy with a shrug.  
  
Ukyo sighed and lifted her up in her arms with a wince of pain. Her hands would take a while to heal on their own. Luckily, she had some healing magic in with her things back at the meeting place.   
  
"Do you think Ranma got away?" whispered the Knight timidly.  
  
"Only one way to find out," replied Ryu. "Come on, we'll wait at the meeting place."  
  
Ukyo smirked slightly as she caught him taking quick glances at the castle as they left.   
  
"When I get my hands on Ranma, I'll ring his neck for making me go through all this!" snapped the dwarf angrily.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: Ranma and The Black Knight.  



	11. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost.  
  
Part 11  
  
Ryu's brave deed.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma smiled as Ryu glared at her. They were standing in a field just outside Joketsuko, away from the trade roads that entered the city. It was late night, and the twin moons hung overhead giving the reunited party its only light.  
  
"Have you lost your mind?" snapped Ryu as he stomped his feet angrily. He glared at the black night for a moment and spun on his heels away from the still smirking redhead.  
  
Akane was tied up with her hands behind her back, the last remnants of her armor were still inside the drainage tunnel the two elf girls had used to enter and exit the castle; leaving her clothed in a black silk dogi, and a pair of leather boots.  
  
Ukyo stood nearby watching the scene in disgust. She was now dressed in her armor again, and was applying healing herbs to her hands. Ryoga was next to her doing the same thing. "This was a really stupid move Ranchan."  
  
"I don't think so, she could be quite valuable to us later on. We may need a bargaining chip along the way," commented Shampoo.  
  
"Herb won't bargain for my life. He doesn't like me. The Emperor won't lose any sleep if I die in service to him either," said the black knight coldly.  
  
"You aren't helping your case any," commented Ranma dryly. "I need information from you. You aren't going anywhere until I get it."  
  
"I told you. I've never seen armor like you've described," replied the woman curtly.  
  
"I don't believe you," snorted the redhead. "Besides, at least I know who my little guest is."  
  
The dark haired girl had awoken a short time earlier. She was in the same situation as Akane, but appeared to be taking it in stride. She merely sat quietly and listened to the conversation.  
  
"We know she was a prisoner," said Ryu calmly. "That means she's got no love for the Emperor at least."  
  
"I wouldn't count on that," said Ranma as she glanced at her carefully.  
  
"That's why she's tied up," retorted Ryu. "Your little package is a time bomb! She could alert any soldiers passing by. Or even escape and try to kill us."  
  
"She's unarmed. Plus, she's been hacking at those ropes, with that rock she picked up, for an hour. You'd think she would have realized they were enchanted by now," said Ranma as she leveled her gaze on her prisoner.  
  
Akane glared at him angrily for a moment, before she dropped the rock on the ground and tugged at her binds. They weren't weakened in the slightest and she knew it. "Damn."  
  
"I say we kill her," said Ryu firmly.  
  
"No. We may get some useful information out of her. Even if she doesn't know of this armor," said the black haired girl as she glared at the black knight in anger.  
  
"I was wondering when you'd speak up. I'm sorry, but we're going to have to keep you tied up until we find out who you really are lady. I don't trust you, the fact that you want to keep her alive isn't helping you either," said Ryu as he turned to face her.  
  
"I can accept that," she said firmly.  
  
"I don't recognize her," said Ukyo as she walked around the girl. "I don't spend much time inside the castle though."  
  
"Well, I doubt she's a servant the way they had her locked up," said Ryu with a small nod.  
  
"She don't look like a witch either," said Ryoga as he eyed the girl as well.  
  
"I have no need of sorcery," replied the girl curtly.  
  
"Who are ye anyway?" said the dwarf as he walked up to her.  
  
"I am a member of the royal court," said the woman in reply. She was being very diplomatic about the situation she was in.  
  
"She acts like it. She's scared out of her mind right now, but she's calm. A diplomat maybe? Why lock her up though," said Ranma.  
  
"Lady Ukyo. Was it you who rescued me?" said the girl as she turned towards the knight. She seemed comforted by her presence.  
  
"No. He did," said the knight as she nodded towards Ryu.  
  
"I must thank you then." The girl bowed her head slightly to him.  
  
"I just needed a shield. That damn sorcerer was blasting at me from behind," muttered the boy in embarrassment.  
  
Ryoga noted the tattered and burnt clothing she was wearing and nodded, it seemed like something he'd do. Fortunately, neither Ukyo nor the girl had overheard him.  
  
"High ranking noble at that," commented Ranma. "She's too refined to just be a diplomat. She's acting like a high lady of the court or something."  
  
"What would you know?" snarled Akane. "Spent a lot of time around royals have you?"  
  
"That's my business lady. I'm starting to think killing you might not be a bad idea," replied the elf girl lazily.  
  
"Do you have any idea about the situation you've put yourself in?" snarled the black knight. "You have kidnapped the leader of the Emperor's black knights. You'll be hunted down..."  
  
"Like dogs, to the Ends of the Earth!" finished Ranma mockingly. "Yada, yada, yada, heard it all before. We're already hunted by every military power and government on the continent. This isn't a problem for us. Besides, I think they'll be more interested in finding this." She held the staff up to the girl's face and smirked.  
  
"The Kajakan?" said the girl. "What would you want with that? It's useless without the Emperor's power behind it!"  
  
"We don't want it," said Ryu with a shrug. "Someone hired us to find it."  
  
"Who?" snapped the black knight.  
  
"That would be telling, wouldn't it Ryu?" said Ranma as she glanced back at her partner.  
  
"Yup. Breach of contract and all that. People who hire thieves don't want others to know who they are. That is why they hire us after all," confirmed the boy with a nod.  
  
"Fine. Who are you anyway?" asked Akane as she looked away from them.  
  
"Now that... is a secret," said the red-haired girl with a smirk on her face as she winked at her and wagged her finger in the air.  
  
"Gods, not that guy again," muttered Ryu as he buried his face in his hands. "I'll be glad if we never meet that jerk again as long as we live."  
  
"He has uses," said Ranma lazily. "The question now is simple. Now what?"  
  
"We take the Kajakan to safety, and get you paid," said Shampoo with a small shrug.  
  
"What about you Ukyo?" said Ranma as he glanced at her.  
  
"I'm going with you. We should stop by and meet the other knights tomorrow though."  
  
"You would leave at a time like this?" said the dark haired girl in shock.  
  
"Can't think of a better time. The country is gone, the knights are all dead, and I can do more good making sure this things stays out of the Emperor's hands. Konatsu, Hiroshi, and Daisuke, can stay here and try to build up a little resistance for a while if they want."  
  
"But... your knightly duties?" stammered the girl in shock.  
  
"Extend beyond protecting my home now. This is too important, and even I can't fight off an army like this. We'd do better ensuring that the Emperor is weakened, and wait for a better time to strike."   
  
"You... are right," said the girl with her head hanging slightly.  
  
"I imagine they killed the queen," said Ryu as he looked back towards Joketsuko. "It'll be a long hard road if you want to resist."  
  
"She, is not dead," said the dark haired girl.  
  
"What?" said Ukyo with her eyes growing wide. "If that's true... I really can't leave. I've got to go back!"  
  
"And get yourself killed?" said Ryoga as he squatted down and began tightening the leather straps on the handle of his axe.  
  
"If there is any chance I can save my queen..." said the girl with a slightly saddened glance back at Ranma.  
  
"I understand Ucchan," said the elf girl as she forced herself to look away.  
  
"There is no need," said the dark haired girl with a heavy sigh. "You have already saved her." She didn't want to tell them, but having Ukyo going back to the palace was something she couldn't allow. "You're looking at her right now."  
  
Everyone turned to face her, and simply stared.  
  
"Pardon?" said Ryoga after a long silence.  
  
"I am Queen Rouge," said the girl as she stood to her feet.  
  
"You don't look anything like her! She's got eight arms!" said Ukyo angrily.  
  
"Sometimes I do, Lady Knight," replied the woman proudly as she stared her down.  
  
"Oh, I get it. Some kind of transformation magic right?" said Ranma with a smirk. "A nasty illusion to keep the yokels in check?"  
  
"Something like that," agreed Rouge calmly. "Having eight arms puts a real strain on your back too. Once, my court masseuse had to return home for a funeral. I was in a bad mood for a month."  
  
Ukyo blinked. "I...remember that."  
  
"Do you now?" said Rouge coyly.  
  
"Well..." muttered the knight in embarrassment.  
  
"We'd better get moving. I'd like to make it to a safe place before sunrise," commented Ryu.   
  
"Right, it isn't going to take long for them to realize that we aren't in the city," agreed Ukyo.  
  
"Aren't you going to cut me loose?" said Rouge in irritation.  
  
"Only after your story checks out, your majesty," said Ryu as he started walking away.  
  
Ukyo looked at her apologetically. "If your story is true, please forgive me." She bowed slightly and started to walk next to her.  
  
"All right, oh mighty dark one. Move it," said Ranma as she forced Akane to her feet and kicked her rear.  
  
"You'll suffer for this humiliation," snapped Akane.  
  
"Bark more puppy. We may just have to put you down for being too loud," said the cheerful elf girl as she forced her forward.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"The Kajakan has been stolen?" said Saffron as he sat on the throne in Joketsuko castle. He did not seem particularly worried.  
  
"Akane is gone as well. Perhaps she is a traitor?" said Herb calmly as he kneeled before him.  
  
Kiima was standing beside the boy watching the scene unfold quietly.  
  
"I doubt that. She's much too rigid and loyal. She has most likely been kidnapped," commented the boy lazily.  
  
"As you say, she has still failed in her duty," pressed Herb calmly.  
  
"If she returns without the staff, I shall put her to death," said the boy.  
  
"As you say," muttered Herb placidly. He stood and started towards the door. "It's a good thing I don't plan on allowing you to get your hands on it again," he muttered quietly as he approached the doors.  
  
"Herb. One more thing," said the boy with a small smirk appearing on his face.  
  
"Yes my Emperor?" He fell to his knees again and faced the boy.  
  
"Your failure did not go unnoticed either. Rouge is loose again, that makes my position here dangerous." He turned his head slightly and looked at the woman at his side. "Kiima, show him how we reward such failures. Keep him alive though, he still has to retrieve my staff."  
  
The woman's face grew into a sly looking smile. "Yes, of course."  
  
Herb stared at the ground as she approached. He did not move from his knees, he merely growled quietly under his breath.   
  
Kiima stood over him and spread her wings wide. She held her hand in front of her and a small orb of energy floated just above her palm.   
  
++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo watched in the mirror as Herb was punished. She shook her head and smiled darkly. "Oh my, you really should have done better darling." The man was quite strong, and did not utter even a whimper as Kiima took out payment on him mercilessly. She watched intently, fingering one of the candles that lit the room on each side of the floating mirror.   
  
The wax trickled onto her finger, burning the delicate skin ever so slightly as her eyes grew wide at the images playing out before her. A slow blush crept onto her face and she gasped in pleasure at his suffering. Her breath became short quick gasps as she wrapped her hand around the length of the wax and moved it up and down rhythmically, allowing the hot dripping liquid to fall onto her hands.  
  
"Herb darling, you really know how to show a girl a good time," said the sorceress with an evil chuckle that slowly grew into laughter.  
  
+++++++++  
  
Hiroshi and Daisuke stood beside Konatsu just outside of a small cottage in a tiny village a few miles outside of Joketsuko.  
  
"Hey! You came back!" said Hiroshi cheerfully as he rushed up to Ukyo.  
  
"The situation is dim," said Ukyo as she grabbed his arm in greeting.   
  
"Who are these people?" said Daisuke as he approached the pair and clutched her arm as well.  
  
"Thieves," replied Konatsu coldly as he walked up between the two men.  
  
"Friends," corrected Ukyo as she gave him a small, disapproving glance. "This woman claims to be the queen."  
  
"Doesn't look like her," commented Daisuke.  
  
Rouge glanced around at the surroundings and smiled wistfully. Finally, she saw a small trough of water for horses, just outside the home. "At last!" She started towards it, but was stopped cold by Ranma's arm.  
  
"Oh, I get it now," said the elf girl calmly. "If you're thirsty, there's water inside." She gave the woman a small wink and pulled at her ropes leading her away.  
  
Akane growled darkly, and was shoved forward by Ryoga. The dwarf had taken the duty of guarding her when it neared morning.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
The sun was slowly rising into the sky when they all sat around the table inside the small home. It was little more than a single room, with a bed in the corner and a stove on the opposite side. Despite that, it was rather cozy.   
  
Rouge stared at Ranma in confusion as he began to untie the knots that bound her. "Well your highness, you should have said something sooner."  
  
"What do you mean?" said Rouge in shock.  
  
Ryu was watching the scene in absolute disbelief. Ukyo was about to say something and Ryoga was completely disinterested in the matter. Focusing instead on cooking a small pot of stew for them.  
  
Shampoo glanced at Ranma with a small smirk on her face as she seemed to understand as well.  
  
The pigtailed elf placed a cup of water on the table in front of Rouge and smiled warmly. "Here you go."  
  
Rouge immediately took it in her hands and dumped it over her head. She was transformed in an instant into the eight-armed goddess once again. "It is a relief. You knew of this?" the calm looking of the three heads turned towards Ranma and looked him up and down.   
  
"Just figured it out," replied the elf cheerfully.  
  
The knights were on their knees in an instant before their queen. Akane's jaw dropped, along with Ryu's.  
  
"Jusenkyo," commented Ranma as she sat across from the woman and crossed her arms lazily.  
  
"Get down! That's the queen!" snapped Konatsu bitterly.  
  
"Shut yer trap runt," snorted Ranma in reply.  
  
"Insolence!" snarled the feminine squire as he jumped to his feet and began to unsheathe his blade. He was quickly quieted as Ryu stood with his sword across the boy's neck before he could finish drawing.  
  
"We have more important things to discuss," said Ranma coolly. "Like what you're going to do now."  
  
"I will take the Kajakan, and use its power to take back my home," said the goddess calmly.  
  
"No," replied Ranma with a shrug.  
  
"No?" said the queen with her eyebrow raising slightly.  
  
"I've been hired to deliver it, and I'm going to. Besides, what makes you think it would do any good? He wasn't killed when he used it was he?" said the redhead curtly.  
  
"This is not a request," said the goddess with her entire head spinning to that of an angry scowl.  
  
"And I'm not your subject," retorted Ranma coolly.  
  
"No, but these knights are," said the goddess coldly.  
  
"Do you really think they can beat us?" said Ryu as he tapped Konatsu on his shoulder with the blade. Hiroshi and Daisuke both jumped up and pointed their swords at him.  
  
"Please remember, I know your weakness," said Ranma as she turned her eyes towards the teakettle that was brewing on the stove.  
  
"Ranma," warned Ukyo as she hefted her spear upright.  
  
"Ukyo, I'm not flexible on this. I've never failed a job, and I'm not going to start now. What happens to the Kajakan after it's delivered isn't my concern, but until it is..." Ranma leveled a cold glare at her.  
  
"And I don't get paid until he does," said Ryoga. He had not moved away from the pot of stew yet.  
  
"Very well, I shall do without it," said Rouge as her face turned again, back to the calm visage.  
  
"Good! I'm glad we've reached an agreement," said Ranma cheerfully. "It's good to see you again by the way."  
  
"Yes, I had not expected it to be like this though," confirmed the queen lazily.  
  
The four knights almost dropped their weapons in shock.  
  
"How did that work out by the way?" asked Ryu as he put his sword away casually.  
  
"I am still queen," replied the woman calmly.  
  
"That's contestable at the moment, but we've got other things to worry about," commented Ranma as she glanced back at Akane.  
  
"Indeed. Will she be accompanying you?" said Rouge as she eyed the black knight as well. Akane appeared to be sleeping against the wall.  
  
"She'll be a liability here. You'll have to kill her and stash the body, or risk holding her prisoner. Once we escape from imperial territory, we'll be safe enough with her in our hands," commented Ranma lazily.  
  
"Quite so. I ask that you remove her then," said the queen.  
  
"Who is that anyway?" said Hiroshi.  
  
"Yeah, she's kind of cute," commented Daisuke.  
  
"Only until she wakes up, believe me," said Ranma with a sigh. "I'll admit she ain't bad for an uncute tomboy though."  
  
Both knights looked at her and blushed heavily. Then towards Ukyo, the two had been awfully friendly since they arrived.  
  
"You don't think?" whispered Daisuke.  
  
"I guess it makes sense," said Hiroshi with a small nod.  
  
"There goes our chances," muttered Daisuke sadly.  
  
"Damn," agreed Hiroshi. A small trickle of blood started to drip out of both boy's noses.  
  
"You two don't need to know who she is," said Ukyo firmly as she noticed them still looking towards Akane.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am," muttered the knights as they attempted to hide their noses from her.  
  
"Ukyo will accompany you to your destination. As she said, there is not much we can do here at the moment. After the Emperor leaves the palace, I can take it back myself," said Rouge.  
  
"Your majesty?" muttered the four knights in confusion.  
  
"I am a goddess after all. Saffron is strong, as are his minions; but once they leave the palace to the guards and return home, I shall retake my castle. They will not attack again once I have done that."  
  
"She's right. Once the palace falls into your hands again, I doubt Saffron will attempt to take it again for some time. He can't trick you like he did this time," agreed Ryu.   
  
"It won't be easy raising an army here," commented Ranma.  
  
"My people have prospered under my rule, they are loyal if nothing else. It will not be difficult," said the goddess proudly.  
  
"I meant that it won't be easy to do without the imperials noticing," said the redhead.  
  
"She's right, you have a long hard road ahead of you. Not that I don't like Ukyo, but it will be easier to rally them with a hero like her around," said Shampoo.   
  
"I agree," said Konatsu.  
  
"She will go with them. As the elf said, the Kajakan's fate beyond its delivery is not his concern," said the Queen as she leveled her gaze on Ukyo. "I am not foolish enough to try and stop her mission. I know what she is capable of if she so wishes. After all, I have used her in the same capacity at times."  
  
The knight nodded her head in understanding as the silent order was given.  
  
Shampoo frowned, there was nothing she could do at the moment though. Ukyo would have to be dealt with later.  
  
++++++++  
  
That night, while the others slept. Akane Tendo watched them from her place in the corner. She was still bound and had no hope of breaking the ropes, the enchantment was very powerful. Even if she could, they had hidden the Kajakan away, and she knew what would happen if she left without it.   
  
"Damn her! That elf..." she glared hatefully at Ranma's sleeping form. Her eyes seemed to bore into the back of the girl's skull.   
  
That is, until Ranma faded away into nothing, right in front of her. "What the?"   
  
A voice from the shadows spoke sleepily to her. "Quit glaring will ya? It makes me uncomfortable when people watch me that way."  
  
Akane simply stared forward in terror as she at last understood her situation. "Dragon Ghost! The most powerful thief alive!" She hung her head as it began to sink in. "She had just been stolen by her, and no one even knew what she really looked like. Nothing stolen by the legendary thief had ever been recovered, unless she was hired to steal it back herself.  
  
"Father. I will return, I swear it!" she thought angrily. After all, legends came to an end eventually.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo frowned as she stared into the mirror once again. "Akane, where are you?" The girl was being hidden away from her somehow. The magic in her armor was useless, because the girl had taken it off, or had it removed by her kidnappers.  
  
She frowned and waved her hands in front of the mirror. She knew her sister was doomed. The Kajakan had been taken away, it was destiny in motion. She knew the black knight would not be able to recover it. When she returned, she would be put to death.  
  
"Damn, I'm sorry sister. I can't change destiny, please forgive me," her words actually sounded sincere, despite the small smirk on her face. "I'll make them pay for damning my little sister that way." She had to find her first though.   
  
Finally an image appeared in the mirror. A tiny cottage on the Joketsuko countryside. Her smirk broke out into a grin and she passed her hands over the floor. "Come fourth!"  
  
Four tiny men appeared before her, from a magical circle that appeared on the ground. They were bald and held strange looking weapons in their hands. One held a spear with a crescent moon shaped blade; another had a giant pair of scissors in his hands; the last two had small curved swords.  
  
"Go, make sure they suffer before you kill them," said the girl coldly. "Make sure Akane dies a quick death though. She is my sister after all."  
  
The creatures all grinned evil looking smiles that seemed to split their faces in half. Rows of razor like metal teeth seemed to take up half of their heads. They giggled insanely before vanishing into the ground again.  
  
Nabiki changed the image to reveal her sister, still tied up and sleeping against the wall. She kissed her fingers and placed them on the girl's image. "Goodbye Akane, you shall be missed." Her smile never wavered in the slightest.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Next time: Isn't it obvious?  
  
  



	12. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 12  
  
Forest of Shadows.  
  
+++++++  
  
Ranma walked along the path that led out of Joketsuko, she was still in her cursed form and seemed strangely contemplative so far. They were in a wooded area, not more than a few miles outside of the small village where they had separated from Rouge and her Knights. Ukyo walked behind her, with Ryu, Shampoo, and Ryoga following close behind them. Akane was tied up and being pulled by the dwarf from the rear.  
  
"So, your oh so faithful squire has been knighted," commented Ryu as he walked up beside Ukyo. "Whatever will you do now?"  
  
"Har, har. You're a real riot you know that? It's about time Konatsu took the plunge, he's been riding along with me too long," said the girl lazily.  
  
"I'm sure he'll do fine," agreed Shampoo cheerfully.  
  
Ranma rolled her eyes and glanced back at his friends for a moment. Things had been going well, almost too well. The only thing that even remotely worried her at the moment, was the cloud of doom that seemed to hover over Akane's head. She had been brooding in silence ever since they had left.   
  
"I'll finally get paid," said Ryoga cheerfully as he tugged on the rope and forced Akane to move a little faster.  
  
"I do hate treating a lady like this," commented Ryu as he looked back at her. "But we can't have you running back to your master and spilling the beans about what's going on."  
  
"How long are we going to hold her anyway?" said Ukyo angrily. "Lets just get it over with. Kill her and be done with it."  
  
Akane looked up at the girl and frowned even deeper than she already was.  
  
"Not until I find out what I want to know," replied the pigtailed girl lazily.  
  
"It's obvious she isn't going to talk," said Shampoo lazily. "I hate to say it, but I agree with her. She's a liability at the moment."  
  
"I have ways of finding out what I want to know, but I can't get to them until we get back. After I'm finished, you can do what you want with her," said the redhead coldly.  
  
"We won't make it out of the country," said Akane sullenly. "You don't think the Emperor is going to let you walk away with his precious staff, do you?"  
  
"My, you've certainly been in a bad mood," said Ryu with a small chuckle. "Don't worry, we've got a ward on this thing. They can't track it down, not even with magic." The boy pointed over his shoulder to the long, wrapped bundle that hung off his back.  
  
"No, but they know I'm gone as well," said the black knight coldly.  
  
Ryu rushed up to her and drew his sword, placing it over her neck. "Maybe we should just kill you then?" He snarled.  
  
"If you're going to do it, get it over with. I've no desire to be dragged around the countryside by the likes of you," said the girl calmly as she met his gaze.  
  
"Ryu," snapped Ranma coolly. "Stop it."  
  
The boy slowly withdrew and replaced his blade.   
  
"She's right," said Ukyo with a small sigh.  
  
"So what? I know what I'm doing. The Black Knight here is hidden from prying eyes," commented Ranma lazily.  
  
"What?" said Shampoo in shock. "I thought you couldn't..."  
  
"I can't hide us in close proximity, I can block out magical searches over a group though," said the redhead calmly. "Someone was sniffing around last night. They may have gotten a glimpse before I noticed, but they can't find us now."  
  
"Oh," said Ukyo as she shrugged her shoulders and started walking again.  
  
"Then why is something following us?" said Akane coolly.  
  
Ranma narrowed his eyes and glanced back at the path. It was completely silent, only the rustle of the wind blowing through the trees could be heard as everyone stopped and looked at the knight for a moment.  
  
"She's just trying to scare us," commented Shampoo with a small snort.  
  
"No, she's right," said Ranma coldly.  
  
"Eh? Whatcha mean?" grumbled Ryoga as he looked up at the prisoner.  
  
"I haven't heard so much as a bird in a while," said the redhead. "There are no insects chirping, no birds, no wild animals of any kind. Something is wrong."  
  
Shampoo cursed under her breath, it was something she should have noticed immediately. "She's right."  
  
"No noise either, I don't hear anything that sounds like a human," commented Ryu. "Soldiers would make quite a ruckus. This is something else."  
  
"Another monster?" said Ukyo with a nervous glance towards Ryoga. The group pulled into a tight circle, surrounding Akane on all sides. The black knight looked at the forest around them and watched for any movement.  
  
Ukyo jumped as she felt something grab her rear. "Ranchan! This isn't the time for that!" snapped the knight with a huge blush.  
  
"Huh?" said the redhead as she turned towards the girl in confusion. "What the heck did I do?"  
  
"You mean... you didn't just..." sputtered the girl in embarrassment.  
  
"Well, look what fell into my little web!" said a voice from the woods. "Such lovely humans! A cute little knight too!"  
  
"Who's there!?" snarled Ryoga as he stepped forward and held his axe in front of him.  
  
"Just a wandering forest spirit, nothing to concern yourself with," said the voice lazily. It sounded young, almost like that of a child. "Tell me, what brings you into my forest?"  
  
"What is that?" snarled Ryu as he glanced around.  
  
"That, is what killed everything in these woods," said Ranma coldly. She drew the Katana that hung over her shoulder and held it offensively.  
  
"Ranchan... I've got a bad feeling about this," said Ukyo nervously. She edged back slightly, shying away from the shadows that seemed to reach for them from the trees.  
  
Ranma was about to reply, when the girl was lifted off the ground and grabbed at something around her neck. Ukyo gasped and seemed to fade away into nothing. The knight's spear fell into the dust, the only indication that she had ever been there.   
  
"Ukyo!" cried the redhead as she reached for her companion. Her fingers passed through the fading image and grasped nothing but air.  
  
"Shit!" screamed Ryu in rage. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry about her. I like her, I think I'll keep her around for a while!" A longing sigh resonated in the air around them. "It must be love!"  
  
"You bastard! I'll tear your heart out!" snapped the pigtailed girl bitterly as she glared into the woods.  
  
The voice seemed to ignore her. "You aren't very cute. In fact, I'll bet I'm much cuter! What to do with you though? I guess I am feeling a bit hungry."  
  
"It's a dryad! It has to be!" snapped Shampoo angrily.  
  
"A dryad? Are you nuts?" snapped Akane. "Dryads don't do things like this!"  
  
"A poisoned one would," replied Ranma coolly. "We'll die if we stand here. Come on!" She started to edge her way down the path slowly.  
  
"A poisoned dryad?" muttered Akane as she walked with them. Forest spirits were usually quite gentle, but if poisoned, or defiled by black magic, they could become extremely lethal killers. "Why would there be such a thing here?"  
  
"Sorcerers like to use them to keep their hideouts safe," said Ranma as she moved away quickly with the rest of the group.  
  
"Can we kill it?" asked Ryoga as he struggled to keep up with the party.  
  
"Yeah, but it ain't easy," muttered Ryu as he glanced around.  
  
Shampoo felt absolutely sick to her stomach. She hadn't been able to speak since she learned what they were facing. Some of her closest friends back at the palace had been such spirits. They were extremely kind, and absolutely loved elves. The forest always flourished when elves settled down. In order to create one such creature, all the other dryads would have been sealed away. Otherwise, they would have destroyed the monster out of mercy.  
  
"Shampoo. I can't find it," said Ranma as she rushed up beside her.  
  
"What?" muttered the elf girl in reply.  
  
"I'm going to need your help. You've got to lead us to it," said the redhead desperately. "Hurry!"  
  
Shampoo saw the pleading in her companion's eyes. Ukyo was in very real danger.   
  
Ryu stopped cold in front of them. "Damn! Right back where we started!" It seemed as if they had gone in a complete circle, despite running full speed down the road that led out of the woods.  
  
"Now what?" snarled Akane bitterly.  
  
"We stand, and fight!" snarled Ryoga as he jumped forward and hacked his axe downward. "Got ya!"  
  
"Oh, I don't know about that," said the pretty young girl who stood before them suddenly. She seemed to melt into existence directly in front of them. She had long brown hair, and a simple dress that merely hung from her shoulders. "Tell me. What are you doing in my forest?" She looked down at the dwarf and frowned. A long cut had appeared at the base of her garment.  
  
"Give us back Ukyo, and we'll leave," said Ranma firmly.  
  
"No. I like her," said the figure with a shrug. "She'll stay with me. I'll just kill you and be done with it."  
  
"Don't just stand there! Kill it!" snarled Akane angrily as she struggled with her ropes.  
  
"Attacking that body won't do anything. It's not the real her," said Ranma coolly. "Shampoo?"  
  
"Yes. That way, about four hundred yards into the woods," said the elf girl firmly as she pointed.  
  
"Eh? What ya mean?" snapped Ryoga.  
  
The dryad's face contorted into an angry scowl. "I was going to have a little fun first, but I can't allow that now!" She raised her hand and roots began to erupt from the ground all around them. Ryu and Ryoga hacked at them and backed away, but Shampoo and Akane were entangled easily by the forest.   
  
"No! Damn that beast!" snapped Ryoga.  
  
"Keep cutting!" snapped Ryu as he turned and put his back to the dwarf. The tentacle like roots began to spring up from all around them, wrapping their legs into place and holding them down. The two men managed to keep their arms free and fought bravely against the overwhelming odds. Unfortunately for the two women, they were slowly being dragged into the ground.  
  
"Human fertilizer always taste the best," snarled the dryad coolly. "Wait! Where is the other one?" she snapped angrily as she threw her head from side to side in a desperate attempt to spot the missing elf.  
  
"Damn! That coward ran away again!" snarled Ryoga as he lost his axe finally.  
  
"You'd better hurry up partner," growled Ryu as the plants finally took him from behind.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Ranma appeared from the shadows surrounding the ugly, twisted tree. She gasped as she saw Ukyo suspended from several branches in the nude. Her armor was lying on the ground below her and she was screaming in rage and terror. "Keep your claws to yourself you monster!"  
  
"Ucchan!" cried the elf girl in alarm as she rushed forward and swung the katana.  
  
"How did you get here?" snapped the dryad as it appeared in front of her.  
  
Ranma staggered back and missed the branches that held her friend. "Let her go! Now!"  
  
"I don't think so! I've grown rather fond of her," said the spirit calmly. One of the branches that held Ukyo above brushed her cheek gently, forcing the girl's head to turn. She shuddered in revulsion and struggled against the branches even harder.   
  
"When I find out who made you, I'm going to cut them in half!" snarled Ranma bitterly as she backed away with the katana held in front of her.  
  
"Oh, you mean him?" The dryad waved her hand and the trees behind her spread apart, revealing the remains of a decrepit cottage that had a short, twisted tree growing from its center. A skeleton could be seen poking from the base of the trunk. It seemed to be partially engulfed by the wood. "Don't worry, he was an unpleasant man. I got tired of listening to him."  
  
"Damn," muttered Ranma under her breath.   
  
"Ranchan! Do something!" screamed Ukyo as she renewed her struggles again.  
  
"Die damn you!" snarled the pigtailed elf as she charged forward. The dryad smirked and spread her arms wide. The blade passed through her cutting the dress she wore in half, but leaving her unscathed.   
  
The cloth fell away as she lowered her arms, revealing a young, nude, boy.  
  
"Surprised?" said the thing as it looked up at Ukyo's shocked face. "Now, where were we?" It turned to face Ranma, expecting the elf to be staring at her in terror as well. Her face fell suddenly as she noticed where the elf girl was standing.  
  
"Not really. You're not cuter than I am by the way," said Ranma as she hacked the small, twisted, and ugly tree with the skeleton inside of it in half with a single stroke of her katana.  
  
"Nooooo!" screamed the dryad in terror and pain. Her body fell in half, cut across the torso, and vanished into thin air.  
  
Ranma smirked as she reached forward and put her palm against the trunk that remained behind. "Burn," she said as it caught fire. Her features changed into a scowl as she heard the spirit scream in pain inside her head. "You won't be growing back either. I'll make sure of that." She turned around and looked up at Ukyo, who was still suspended in the air. The remains of the cottage began to burn as well, forcing her to jump off the roof and onto the ground.  
  
"It took you long enough!" snapped the woman angrily. "Cut me down damn it!"  
  
"Okay," said Ranma with a shrug.  
  
"And stop thinking those perverted thoughts! I can't believe you! Any other time and I'd be overjoyed, but this?" snapped Ukyo as she noticed the heavy blush on the elf's cheeks.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ryu grumbled as he pulled himself out of the ground and removed the last few roots from his shoulders. Most of them had released them on their own, but a few still clung on desperately.  
  
After a few moments everyone but Akane was out of the ground. They all stood around her simply watching.  
  
"Are you going to just stand there?" snapped the black knight in irritation. She was stuck in the ground up to her neck.  
  
"Ranma's the only one who cares about you. He can pull you out," said Ryu with a small shrug.  
  
"You bastard! I'll get you for this!" snapped the enraged girl as she struggled to move. She succeeded in little more than moving her neck. She paused suddenly and looked up at them. "Hey. I can move my feet."  
  
"Huh?" muttered Shampoo in surprise.  
  
"I said I can move my feet. There's some kind of cavern here," repeated the girl in irritation. "Ouch! It's really hot!" she snapped suddenly.  
  
"What the hell?" muttered Ryu as he watched her struggle.  
  
Ranma walked up just then with Ukyo beside her. "Hey. What's going on?"  
  
Ryu turned to him and shrugged. "You want her, you dig her up."  
  
"Oh thanks," muttered the girl as she kneeled down next to her prisoner.  
  
"Hurry it up! Something is burning my feet!" snapped Akane angrily.  
  
"We'll move on ahead, so you two love birds can have some private time," said Ryu as he walked away.  
  
Shampoo and Ryoga looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders before following.  
  
"I'll stay with you Ranchan," muttered Ukyo quietly.  
  
"That's all right. Go on and get rested up. These woods should be fine now. The wizard is dead, and that dryad is gone for good," said Ranma cheerfully.  
  
"What, is she your girlfriend or something?" muttered Akane as she watched the girl leave. Ukyo kept giving them nervous glances.  
  
"What if she is?" snapped Ranma.  
  
"Nothing. I was just wondering, and keep your hands off those!"   
  
Ranma looked at her and stopped digging. She had just reached the knight's breasts. "Look. I could just leave you here ya know."  
  
"All right fine! Just keep your perverted ways to yourself got it?" snapped the black knight angrily.  
  
Ranma chuckled as she realized that Akane didn't know her little secret.   
  
"Hurry it up will ya? It feels like my feet are on fire!" snapped Akane in irritation.   
  
Ranma was about to reply, but her words turned into nothing but a cry of surprise as the ground gave out beneath them, leaving only a large hole that lead into nothing but darkness below.   
  
+++++++  
  
"He should be back by now," commented Ryu as he stood up and started walking towards the path again. The party had set up camp just off the path a few hundred yards away from the spot where they had nearly died.  
  
"It is taking a while," commented Shampoo.  
  
"We'll go check on them then. What could have happened?" said Ukyo cheerfully as she stood up and followed after Ryu.  
  
It didn't take long for them to find the hole. "Damn," muttered Ryu as he gazed into it. "I can't see the bottom."  
  
"It's that deep?" cried Ukyo in panic.  
  
"It's a cavern. Deep too," said Ryu. He pulled his face away and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Real hot down there."  
  
"Why?" said Ukyo in confusion. "I hope he's all right!"  
  
"He can take care of himself," said Ryu firmly. "A little hole like this isn't going to stop him."  
  
"We should go down after him," said Ukyo firmly.  
  
"I can't hear anything below," muttered Ryu with a slightly worried look on his face.  
  
"We need light," said Ukyo as she pulled a small knife from her belt. The blade started to glow as soon as she unsheathed it. She reached down into the hole with it and frowned. "There's a slope? It goes down a long way. Looks like some kind of tunnel."  
  
"Come on, we'll go get the others," said Ryu firmly. "Don't go down there until I get back. We don't know what might be in that hole."  
  
"Exactly!" replied Ukyo angrily as she started to climb into the hole.  
  
Ryu grabbed her arm and shook his head. "Don't! If there's something down there strong enough to kill him, he's already dead. We'll go down together! Having a dwarf with us will help too."  
  
"Fine, I'll wait. You've got about two minutes, or I go down. With, or without you," said Ukyo finally.  
  
Ryu nodded and ran back to get the others.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"Shit! Where the hell are we?" snapped Ranma angrily as he stood up and pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Great! I'm soaking wet!"   
  
"Some sort of natural hot spring?" commented Akane as she stood up next to him. Her arms were still tied up by the rope. "Who the hell are you?"  
  
Ranma frowned and groped around in the darkness for a moment. "What the hell do you mean? We fell down that hole together!" snapped the pigtailed boy bitterly.  
  
"I didn't fall down here with you. Is there someone else down here with you too?" said the black knight in confusion. "Where's that elf girl at?"  
  
"Elf girl?" Finally it dawned on him. "Oh shit."  
  
"Pardon?" said Akane she was getting frustrated and couldn't see anything in the pitch black of the cavern.  
  
Ranma held out his palm and a small ball of light floated just above it, illuminating the cave. "I'm the elf girl."  
  
Akane stared at him in shock for a moment and then frowned. "Disguise magic? To keep people from knowing who you really are? How clever." It was obvious sarcasm.   
  
"Yeah, something like that," muttered the boy as he looked up and saw the sliding tunnel that they had entered through. "Well, we aren't getting back that way. Hope the others figure out we're gone."  
  
"This place is big," said Akane as she looked around. They were standing in ankle deep water, and a thick steam rose into the air around them. The pain was minimal, the water was very hot, but not scalding. The spring itself was rather small, it extended about twenty feet into a much larger cavern that seemed to extend into infinity in either direction.  
  
"You're right. I wonder if the wizard who poisoned that dryad made this?"  
  
The thought made Akane uncomfortable. "I hope not," she muttered. She paused and cocked her head. "What's that sound?"  
  
"Eh? What sound?" said Ranma as he glanced around. The only thing he could here was the occasional drip from the ceiling. He froze and waited for a moment, and heard it. It was almost like metal grinding against metal.  
  
"You know..." started Akane.  
  
"Yeah, I know. Bad feeling right?" interrupted Ranma with a worried look on his face. Akane nodded. "Yeah, me too. It might not be a good idea to hang around here." He grabbed onto the ropes that bound her arms and started to drag her towards the edge of the spring. The ball of light followed just behind him, hanging in the air.  
  
Something moved, just off to his right side. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Did you see something?" said Akane with more than a little worry in her voice.  
  
Ranma paused and noticed something sitting on one of the rocks. "It's... a hot bun?"  
  
Akane looked over his shoulder and frowned. She turned her head and nodded towards another boulder nearby. "There are two more."  
  
"And another one, just behind us," said Ranma as he noticed another one of the strange pastries. "Maybe... it's some kind of fungus?" he ventured.  
  
"Run, now," said Akane with a sudden chill running down her spine.  
  
"Huh?" said the boy. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"Those aren't fungus," said the girl.  
  
"What the hell are they then?" snapped Ranma.  
  
One of the fungus slowly opened two black eyes and stared at them silently for a long moment.  
  
"Niku, my sister's assassins," replied Akane in horror.  
  
"That's bad?" said Ranma as he raised his eyebrow at her. "You should be happy."  
  
"If Nabiki sent them, she has no intention of rescuing me," said Akane as she turned around, only to find herself staring at the other three. All of them had their eyes open and were staring intently at the pair. "Hurry! Run now!"   
  
Ranma started to jog by the one in front of them, giving it a wide berth. It turned and watched him calmly, and then it seemed to grin at him.  
  
"Oh shit," said the pigtailed boy as he broke out into a sprint, dragging Akane behind him as he went.  
  
The thing's teeth were no less than six inches long, the whole head couldn't have been more than twelve inches. They were long and pointed, interlacing into each other along its jaws. The rows and rows of incisors gleamed against the soft light, shining like metal. The four things slowly stood up, revealing short bodies that held various weapons in their hands. They worked their jaws slowly, opening and closing them, creating a shrieking sound as the metal scraped together. All of them giggled madly and bolted forward, moving at insane speeds as they bounced off the walls of the cave in the darkness.  
  
Akane looked back over her shoulder as she ran and gasped. The things were gaining fast. "Hurry!" she screamed at Ranma.  
  
"Oh, man," muttered the boy as he stopped cold in front of her.  
  
Akane slammed into his back and fell on her butt. "Why did you stop?" she screamed desperately.  
  
"Take a look," grumbled the boy as he pulled the katana off his back and turned to face their pursuers.   
  
"No!" gasped Akane as she saw the gaping canyon that stretched out across the length of the cavern.  
  
"I'm gonna cut you loose, behave yourself will ya?" said the boy as he turned to face her.  
  
She looked at him and blinked. "You have my word as a knight. I have no intention of dying this way."  
  
"Good, cause here they come!" cried Ranma as he sliced at the ropes behind her back.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo smirked as she watched the mirror in anticipation. "I wonder how they'll get out of this one?" she wondered out loud. "Oh well, goodbye Akane." She leaned in and rubbed her sister's image with her finger.   
  
+++++++++++  
  
Soun Tendo sat with his wife, drinking tea quietly. He placed the cup down gently and sighed. There wasn't much to do now that he'd retired. There had been no word back from the Emperor yet either, Nabiki hadn't been of much help regarding that. When he asked her, she stated that she had something to do for the young Emperor, and couldn't use her mirror to check up on things.   
  
That meant there was nothing to do but wait. He hated that.  
  
He turned to pick up the cup again and frowned. A long crack could be seen along the side of the fine china. "An omen?" he wondered out loud.  
  
"Is something wrong husband?" asked his wife.  
  
"Huh? Oh, it's nothing. Just jumping at shadows I suppose," he muttered as he looked away from her for a moment.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
  
My most evil TBC ever!  
  
Next time: The trouble with Niku!   
  
And yes, before anyone asks, that was Tsubasa.  



	13. Default Chapter Title

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 13  
  
Niku, and the Darkness Beyond.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Using a very long length of rope, Ryu Kumon lowered himself down the dark hole, following behind his companions as they went down into the darkness below in search of Ranma and his prisoner. They had no idea what to expect really, the dark wizard who had once taken control of the forest was long gone, but magic could live on for quite a long time.  
  
Once they reached the bottom, they found themselves standing in ankle deep water. Steam rose up all around them, giving the cave a hazy fog that prevented them from seeing very far, even with the magical light provided by Shampoo's elven magic.  
  
"They aren't here," said Ukyo with a small growl.  
  
"Maybe they just didn't want to stand in the water?" said Ryoga as he glanced up at them. Everyone looked back at him and he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe not?"  
  
"Come on," muttered Ryu with a small sigh as he started to walk to the edge of the spring. The walls of the cave rose high into the air above them. "This place is big."  
  
"It is natural," commented Shampoo lazily. "I don't sense anything unnatural about this place. Don't take that to mean it is safe though."  
  
"Right, there are a lot of things that live in places like this," commented Ukyo with a small chill. It was in a place like this that she had her final battle with the demon dragon Timaht. It was not a pleasant memory for her  
  
"She's right, there's no dwarven settlements that go down this deep. We mine deep, but live relatively close the surface," commented Ryoga as he pulled his axe off of his back and glanced around nervously. "There are reasons for that."  
  
"There was a battle here," commented Ukyo as she knelt down on the ground and peered at the ground. These cuts in the floor were made by bladed weapons of some kind." She indicated several tiny scratches in the floor, they were small, and spaced pretty far apart. There were also several scraps of metal lying around, scattered about the cavern floor.  
  
"Look!" said Shampoo as she pointed at something lying on the ground. It was at the edge of a large canyon within the cave.  
  
Ryu rushed over and picked up the remains of a rope lightly. "These are that knight's binds, she's loose."  
  
"Great," muttered Ukyo angrily.  
  
"He let her go, these were cut," replied Ryu.  
  
"It could have been whatever made those marks on the ground," offered Shampoo lazily.  
  
"I doubt that, Ranma probably let her loose when things got to hot. I would have done the same in his position," replied the boy with a shrug.  
  
"Where are they though?" said Ryoga with an irritated snort. "There's nowhere to run, besides going down that is."  
  
Ukyo gasped in horror. "No! You don't think they..." She peered down the edge of the cliff carefully.  
  
"No, that's how they got across," said Ryu as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder as he looked down with her for a moment.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
"Great, I'm loose. Now what?" snapped Akane as she glared at the rapidly approaching monsters. The canyon was behind them, ruling out running away.  
  
"We kill them, and then figure out how the hell we're going to get out of here," replied the pigtailed boy sharply as he charged forward, matching the speed of the approaching Niku.  
  
"No! Wait!" cried the girl in alarm as she ran behind him.  
  
Ranma dove headfirst into the battle, slashing at the closest monster and catching it across the chest easily. The thing cried out in alarm and was thrown back against a nearby pillar of stone, made from a stalactite that had met with a stalagmite over the centuries. There were quite a few scattered around the cavern.  
  
He landed and spun around punching out with his feet and fist, catching two more of the beasts as they attempted to pass by him. The sailed away from him and he ducked under the spear of the remaining Niku.   
  
"Damn! What the hell are these things made of?" he snarled as his foot and fist exploded in pain. He glanced at the one who had passed him and jumped forward towards Akane. "Look out!"  
  
The knight jumped back as the thing embedded its spear into the ground where she had been standing, giggling madly. It opened its jaws and snapped at her as she backed away. "Damn!" It was about to lunge forward, when a shower of sparks flew from behind its head, sending it flying away from her and into the far wall.  
  
"What?" she muttered as she picked up the discarded katana. She almost dropped it, the thing weighed a ton. It was easily four times heavier than her broadsword.  
  
Ranma landed near her and scowled. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"No," she muttered.  
  
"Good, give me back my sword," he said while looking over his shoulder. There didn't appear to be any more of them.  
  
Akane looked at the blade, and then back at him. "He swings this thing around one handed?" Reluctantly, she placed the hilt back into his hand. She glanced up at his face as she did so, noticing that he was watching her movements very carefully. A small frown crossed her face as she realized that she never would have been able to use the heavy weapon to attack him.  
  
As if in response to her thoughts, he twirled the sword around in his hand effortlessly and placed it back in its scabbard on his back.   
  
Akane growled at him and frowned. "Why are you putting that away? We have to get out of here, before they get their senses back!"  
  
"Huh?" muttered the boy in surprise. His cocky grin fell away as he heard the distinctive sound of metal against metal again. "No way!"  
  
"My sister made them herself. She's quite proud of them, but they're nothing more than metal golems really," said the girl through her teeth.  
  
"More news tomboy, they aren't after me," said Ranma as he faced the cave again. He could see she wasn't lying, the things were slowly standing up from where they had landed. One of them was shaking its head in a daze, while the others had already gotten back to normal. They worked their jaws open and closed slowly as they regarded the pair from a good distance away.  
  
"What do you mean?" snapped the knight angrily.  
  
"You saw that last one. He went right past me and straight for you," said Ranma sharply. "We don't have anything that can kill a golem either," he snapped to himself.  
  
"Then we're going to die," said Akane coldly. "I can think of a lot of ways I'd rather go."  
  
"We ain't dead yet," said Ranma with a cocky grin.  
  
"Here they come," said Akane as she braced herself again.  
  
"Great," muttered Ranma as he looked around, hoping for some kind of escape. Then, he found it. "Hey, think you can keep them busy for a minute?"  
  
"What? Why?" snapped the knight.  
  
"Good," replied Ranma as he vanished from in front of her.  
  
"Coward!" screamed the girl in rage. She turned to face the things as they converged on her, not seeming to care about him leaving. "So, it's true," she thought as she rushed forward screaming angrily.  
  
Akane tore through them as best she could. She punched and kicked at them relentlessly as they bounced around her, dodging their swipes and slashes as best she could. Each blow she landed caused her limbs to explode in pain, merely pushing the things back for a moment. They jumped back onto their feet immediately and returned, seeming to not even notice her attacks. "Just one, please. If only just one," she muttered as the things converged on her again.  
  
"Thor's Hammer!" screamed the girl as she lashed out with her final attack. A war hammer made out of pure energy appeared in her right hand as she slashed down. The weapon connected with one of the beasts and it screamed in pain, shaking violently on the end of her attack. After a moment, it exploded, sending shards of metal in every direction. Akane felt one of them dig deeply into her left arm and screamed in pain. She fell to her knees, completely spent and simply waited. The other three Niku formed a cautious circle around her and simply stared.  
  
After about ten seconds, they realized that she no longer had the strength to fight on. Their jaws worked in anticipation. They leapt into the air and attempted to pile on top of her.  
  
"Look out!" cried Ranma as he appeared beside her suddenly and pulled her away, rolling along the ground with her.  
  
The Niku landed in a dog pile and scattered like roaches in every direction as a heavy groaning echoed through the cavern.  
  
Ranma jumped to his feet and then pulled Akane into his arms. "I thought you said you could hold them!" he joked as he landed on top of a falling pillar of stone from just beside the canyon.  
  
"Where the hell were you?" snapped the girl angrily, that was when she realized what was happening.  
  
"Making a bridge!" said the pigtailed boy as he suddenly pushed himself harder as the pillar began to near the ground on the other side. One of the Niku bounced just behind them, rushing after them across the surface of the rock.  
  
Then Ranma jumped into the air off the makeshift bridge and rolled along the ground for a moment. He stopped and turned on the opposite side of the canyon and watched as the stone pillar slammed into the ground. It immediately shattered on impact, with the Niku still standing on top of it. The thing let out a shrill cry as it plummeted into the darkness below.  
  
"That's two," muttered Akane weakly.  
  
"You're hurt," said Ranma as he placed her on the ground and stepped back.  
  
"No thanks to you," she snorted.  
  
"Hey! You said you could take them!" he replied sharply.  
  
"I said nothing of the kind!" snarled the girl. She promptly fell back onto the ground. "Why didn't you just leave me? You could have escaped."  
  
"Hey. You're my prisoner, remember? Besides, I never leave anyone behind," replied the boy with his smug grin returning once again.  
  
"Honor among thieves?" said Akane sarcastically.  
  
"You're no thief," said the boy as he glanced back across the canyon.  
  
"You've got that right! Honorless dog!" snarled the knight. She slowly rose to her feet and glared at him.  
  
"Whatever, you're in no condition to fight right now," chuckled the boy as he brushed off her sudden assertiveness.   
  
"I'll see you rotting in a cell yet," she replied darkly.  
  
"Aw man! I thought we'd be safe over here," said Ranma as his attention was suddenly elsewhere.  
  
"What?" said the knight as she tried to look where his gaze was. All she could see was darkness. Suddenly, she could see the remaining two Niku. They were clinging to the ceiling of the cavern, and moving directly towards them. "Damn!"  
  
"Come on!" snapped Ranma as he pulled on her arm and dragged her further into the darkness.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"We can't get across," grumbled Ryoga angrily. He simply glared forward and kicked a stone into the pit. It bounced off the walls for a bit before simply plummeting away into the shadows.  
  
"There is a way," said Shampoo.  
  
"No, he's right. We're wasting time here. It's best if we just go back up and keep moving," said Ryu.  
  
"What? Are you out of your mind?" snapped Ukyo.  
  
"Ranma can take care of himself! This isn't the first time something like this has happened to us. He'll catch up," said Ryu firmly.  
  
"I won't leave him!" snarled the knight angrily.  
  
"He does know Ranma better than either of us," said Shampoo with a small shrug. "Although, I'll admit, this rubs me the wrong way as well. After all, it is a lot of money we're offering for his services."  
  
"Hey! I never even wanted this job, damn it! He's the one dumb enough to take it! He'll show up, it'll take more than a cave to stop him," insisted the boy angrily.  
  
Ryoga frowned. "If he doesn't, I still get paid, right?"  
  
"I shall see that you are rewarded for your trouble," muttered Shampoo in disgust.  
  
"Right. I'm with him then. I've hunted Ranma for a long time; he'll get out of this. I've chased him across places much more dangerous than this."  
  
"Oh? Like what?" snapped Ukyo.  
  
"Timaht's Cavern, while the beast was still livin by the way, Roshaikes Marsh, The Dead Plains, The Black Forests of Hurant, The Black Temple of Azule, Castle Anthrax, umm, let's see now..."  
  
"I get the point!" snapped Ukyo as she belted the dwarf over his head with the handle of her spear.  
  
The dwarf rubbed his head in irritation and glared at her. "Ouch," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"You're sure he'll be all right?" muttered Ukyo with an uncertain glance into the darkness.  
  
"Trust me," said Ryu calmly.  
  
"I hate this," she muttered under her breath. "I won't go."  
  
"Stay then. I've got a job to do, Ranma will be pissed if I screw it up," said Ryu as he started to walk back towards the spring.  
  
"Ukyo, he's right. We must get this staff out of the country. We can't allow it to fall into the Emperor's hands," said Shampoo gently. "The sooner we escape, the better. We can't allow them to prepare for us. We've already wasted too much time in this forest."  
  
"But...Ranma's alone, with that woman," said Ukyo with a sullen frown.  
  
Shampoo found herself glancing into the darkness suddenly herself. A small growl formed in her throat. "Indeed, perhaps it is better if we did go after him?"  
  
"Quit flappin yer jaws! Let's go! If Ranma wants to have a little fun, let em! She's his prisoner after all," snapped Ryoga as he glared at them.  
  
"No! I won't allow it!" cried Ukyo in rage.  
  
"Indeed, we don't have time for such things," agreed Shampoo.  
  
Ryu appeared again and stood between them. "That idiot wouldn't know what to do with a naked woman. Don't worry about that, they don't even like each other remember?"  
  
"I suppose, but things can happen if a man and a woman are alone in the darkness!" cried Ukyo.  
  
"Hmm, you're right," said Ryu as he took her arm and started to lead her away.  
  
"Hey! How come I get stuck with the elf?" snapped Ryoga.  
  
Shampoo and Ukyo looked at each other and promptly decked both of the men.  
  
"Honestly. I know my Ranchan would never act that way! What was I thinking?" said Ukyo curtly.  
  
"Indeed, he seemed most honorable," agreed Shampoo. "Even if he is a thief."  
  
They looked at one another again.  
  
++++++++  
  
A half hour later, Ryu and Ryoga bodily pulled Shampoo and Ukyo out from the hole and threw them on the ground just outside.  
  
"If he is having such a fun night, and I'll kill him if he is, then there's nothing you can do about it now!" snapped Ryu. Both girls looked at him angrily and then reluctantly nodded.  
  
"Come on! Let's just get the hell out of here!" snapped Ryoga as he started walking, in the direction of Joketsuko.  
  
"This way!" snapped Ryu as he pulled the dwarf in the right direction. He paused and noticed both women sneaking back towards the entrance to the cave once again. "Damn it! I need that elf girl to get paid, and Ranma will kill me if I let anything happen to his stupid girlfriend!"  
  
Eventually, Ryu found himself dragging the two angry women behind him by the back of their collars, Ryoga walked a short distance away, out of arms reach of either of the girls, just behind.  
  
After a short time, the women calmed down a bit. Ukyo and Shampoo were glaring at each other angrily.   
  
"So, the truth comes out! You were after my Ranchan weren't you?" snapped the knight.  
  
"What if I was?" retorted the elf.  
  
"He's mine! Hands off!" said Ukyo bitterly.  
  
"Funny, I didn't see a ring on his finger," commented Shampoo.  
  
"There might as well be!" retorted Ukyo.  
  
"Ranma is mine!"  
  
"You're nothing but an annoyance! You should know how elves deal with obstacles like you!"  
  
Ryu rubbed at his temples. "To hell with Ranma and the damn money! I say we just kill them both!"  
  
Ryoga crossed his arms over his chest and frowned deeply. "Perhaps we should have left them in the cave after all?"  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
"Are they still following us?" said Ranma as he and Akane entered a narrow tunnel somewhere in the cavern depths.  
  
"Of course they are, but I don't see them," said the knight as she glanced around nervously.  
  
"We'll stop and rest here then," said Ranma coolly as he opened a secret door inside the wall.  
  
"How did you...?" gasped Akane.  
  
"This is that old wizard's workshop. The cottage I found the dryad at was just his house. There should be an exit near here," said Ranma with a small shrug.  
  
"You've been here before?" said the knight in surprise.  
  
"No, but I do this for a living, remember?" Ranma walked inside the small room and lit a torch with a small wave of his hand.  
  
Akane peered around in awe. There were hundreds of books and potions lining the wall on old looking shelves, a large wooden table with arcane symbols on it sat in the center of the room, and also several wooden stools around it. The room had obviously not been used for some time, a thick coat of dust covered everything.   
  
"Don't touch anything. This place is covered in traps," said Ranma casually as he began to inspect his surroundings. "Not much of use to us in here."  
  
Akane leaned against the wall and sat down on one of the stools that wasn't at the table. Her eyes fell on an unusual painting on the stones of the wall behind her. "What is that?"  
  
She was looking at a picture of a cup of some kind. It was golden and had several jewels embedded on it around its center. Some sort of light appeared to be coming out of the top, and was pouring on a figure lying on the ground for some reason.  
  
"Huh? Oh, it's just the Grail of Bahamut," said Ranma he glanced over his shoulder. He was busy looking at a row of books on the opposite side of the room.  
  
"Are you sure?" muttered Akane. It was an old legend, and no known pictures of the grail were left, it's existence was not much more than a tale for bards as far as most were concerned.  
  
"Pretty sure," said Ranma without looking back at her as he lifted one of the tomes into his hand. "Useless." He turned and smiled as he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled a dusty looking box out from under one of the shelves and laid it on top of the table.  
  
"What is that?" said Akane. "Something to kill those two monsters?"  
  
"No, I checked around, but no books on golems. Sorry. This is just some bandages and healing herbs for your arm," said the boy cheerfully.  
  
"Oh," Akane looked at him in surprise for a moment and hung her head. "I suppose it would be dumb to refuse, even though I hate your guts. We may run into them again."  
  
"Think you can do that hammer thing again?" said the boy as he sat down across from her and pulled her arm towards him gently.  
  
Akane winced in pain and grit her teeth, she had pulled out the large metal piece long ago, but the wound was rather large and ugly looking. A new surge of blood started to flow as he forced her to move it again. "No. It is difficult to do, I wouldn't be able to do it unless I was at full strength. Once a day is about all I can do."  
  
Ranma nodded as if he wasn't really paying attention. "Hmm, you should have left the metal in there. It might have cut an artery or something. You'd have bled to death if it had, long before we reached here."  
  
"What do you care?" she snapped bitterly.  
  
"I need you alive," he said with a shrug. "Remember?"  
  
"Oh yes, the mythical 'golden mask'?" she said lazily as he worked. She sucked in a quick breath as he applied the herbs to her arm, the pain lasted only a moment though. He began to wrap the bandage around the wound and merely nodded. "I've never seen armor like that."   
  
"I'm starting to believe you. I don't think anyone has in about ten years. It was the same as yours though, that's something."  
  
"Ten years?" said Akane with a slight look of surprise on her face. "What did this armor do to you anyway?"  
  
"The man wearing it, hunted down and murdered my father," said Ranma quietly.  
  
"Really? Was he as much of a jerk as you are?" snorted the girl coldly.  
  
"No, he was an honorable man. The man who killed him was an old friend of his; I heard some of what they said after they found him. They were sent there to kill the both of us, but something happened and they couldn't find me."  
  
"So, you ran away and hid like a coward while they killed him?" snapped Akane darkly.  
  
"I was a child, and injured. I would have fought with him until my dying breath if I could have, but I was knocked out. I woke up a few times, but I never stayed awake long enough to help," said Ranma with surprising calm. "I want to find that man, and show him what I think of a knight who would hunt down an unarmed man and his child."  
  
"I... see," said Akane with a sudden surge of guilt, it didn't last long though. "Is this why you are a thief? So you can avenge your father?"  
  
"Actually yes, it's the best profession to be in if you want to find somebody. I've grown strong over time, and learned to be the best. When I find that man, I'll face him like a man."  
  
"Are you sure? You could face him like an elf. It would suit you better," snapped the girl as she took her arm away from him finally.  
  
"You know, you've sure got a bad attitude you tomboy."  
  
"I suppose I should thank you for keeping me alive for your own purposes?" snapped the knight.  
  
"No, but you've got a really nasty disposition. Even before I kidnapped you, it's been bugging me ever since I met you. I wonder what would turn someone who could be a relatively cute girl, into an uncute brute like you?"  
  
"When we get out of this mess, I'll show you how much of a brute I can be," said Akane coldly.  
  
"Ha! A slow chick like you doesn't stand a chance against me!" replied the pigtailed boy smugly.  
  
Akane growled; her hand closed around something next to the stool and she picked it up and slammed it down on the thief's head.  
  
Ranma was thrown to the floor roughly and looked up at the wooden mallet that was now embedded in his skull. "That hurt you know."  
  
"Good. Maybe you'll learn to curb your tongue!" snapped Akane bitterly as she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Her brow furrowed as she attempted to rest. "I'll actually be glad to get back to that idiot, Kuno, after this jerk."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo frowned as someone entered her sanctuary rather tastelessly. There was only one man bold enough, and stupid enough, to do such a thing. "Don't you know how to knock, Kuno?"  
  
"You shall address me as 'Lord Kuno'!" roared the man angrily.  
  
"What do you want, Kuno?" she said ignoring his protest.  
  
"I have need of your services lowly witch!" snarled the man arrogantly.  
  
"That will cost you," said Nabiki coldly.  
  
"I have the usual payment on hand," said the man as several servants tossed three bags of gold at her feet and left as quickly as they had entered.  
  
"Tell me what you need," she said with a sigh.   
  
"I wish to know the whereabouts of the lovely, Lady Akane! The Emperor has returned, but I have not seen her within the palace!"  
  
Nabiki smiled evilly. It was far too perfect, too easy to be rid of him for good. She had lost two of her Niku men so far, and had doubts that the others would survive. Her sister would have to pay for destroying her favorite toys, she had tried her best to give her a quick and painless end, but how had the girl repaid her? Well, Akane always was a bit of a brute anyway. She slowly turned and gazed directly at the young lord coolly. "You have not heard the news? My sister was abducted, taken with the Kajakan by those that raided the castle in Joketsuko."  
  
"She has been...?" muttered the boy in shocked horror.  
  
"No doubt, they are ravaging her purity as we speak. I have not been able to free her, despite my powerful magic! I was just about to send for you!"  
  
"Witch! Why did you not do so sooner?" he snapped angrily. "I shall save Lady Akane this very day! We shall be wed before we return, so that none but I shall know of her shame. A noble and honorable sacrifice upon myself for her sake indeed!"  
  
Nabiki snorted. If the idiot managed to save her in some sort of miracle, everyone in the palace would know of her supposed shame. The moron would boast about disguising it so honorably for years. "Indeed, I have faith in your prowess. Go now, to the forest to the south of Joketsuko. Akane shall appear there with her captors in three days." There, that would ensure that Akane suffered a bit before her eventual demise. She didn't want it to be too bad for her. After all, she was her sister.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"Lord Herb, what are your orders?" said Mint as he bowed before his master placidly.  
  
"I want you two to find the Kajakan for me, and bring it back. If you cannot, return here and tell me what you have learned," said the man as he sat on his personal throne and scowled at them. His face was covered in small cuts and bruises, Kiima had been less than merciful in front of her master.  
  
"Yes, my lord!" said Lime firmly.  
  
"Listen carefully fools. If you retrieve the Kajakan, bring it to me directly. No one else, not even Nabiki, or even the Emperor himself must obtain it before me."  
  
"Lord Herb?" said Mint with a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
"Do not concern yourself. I shall return it to the Emperor." He had a dark look in his eyes as he said this, and almost spat the words at them.  
  
"Yes, of course. We understand," said Lime. He paused and looked up at his master for a moment. "Master? Please forgive me."  
  
"What is it?" said the man calmly.  
  
"What of Lady Akane?"  
  
Herb looked at them for a moment and frowned. "Do not attempt to rescue her, unless a clear opportunity presents itself. I want the Kajakan first and foremost. Remember, if you fail, report to me immediately," he said with a heavy sigh. "That should keep the idiots happy," he thought to himself. He knew from Nabiki's magic that the girl was as good as dead.  
  
"Yes, Lord Herb," replied the pair in unison.   
  
"Go, carry out my orders," said the man as he stood up and turned away from them. When he turned back, they were gone.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"I don't like it Mint, it's almost like he wants us to fail," said Lime as he walked with his companion.  
  
"I agree, but I don't think we'll be punished if we can't get it," agreed Mint with a small sigh. "I sure hope we can save Lady Akane though. I like her."  
  
"Yeah, we won't get to visit Mistress Kasumi as much either," said Lime with a worried look on his face.  
  
"Hey!" said Mint with a sudden start.  
  
"What is it?" asked Lime as he glanced around nervously.  
  
"If we save her... do you think she'll let us see her titties?"  
  
"Hey! Great idea! We'll ask her after we save her!" said Mint happily.  
  
"You two! Why are you still alive? Did you not die for your mistress?" roared an angry sounding voice from behind them.  
  
"Huh?" said the pair as they turned to see Kuno pointing his sword at them.  
  
"How dare you defile these halls with your presence after you failed to protect Lady Akane!"   
  
"But, we're not Lady Akane's servants," said Mint.  
  
"Yeah, we work for Lord Herb," agreed Lime.  
  
"Silence! I shall have none of your excuses cowards! This very day, I ride out to free your mistress from the bonds of her evil captors!" exclaimed Kuno as he waved his sword in the air dramatically.  
  
Lime and Mint had to back away to avoid being cut. They simply stared at the scene and blinked.  
  
"Great!"  
  
"Yeah, see ya!"  
  
"Halt fiends! I shall allow you to accompany me, in order to redeem yourselves from your cowardly ways! I have not forgotten your many long years of loyal service to Lady Akane! Let it not be said that I am not merciful!"  
  
"Service to Lord Herb," corrected Mint halfheartedly.   
  
"Oh, come on, we might as well go with him," grumbled Lime with a disappointed look on his face.  
  
"I guess," said Mint with a similar expression.  
  
With that, the trio of fools wandered towards the palace stables.  
  
++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The brave deeds of Lord Kuno!  
  
Sorry, I couldn't resist putting these idiots together.  
  
  



	14. The Dragon and the Ghost[Part 14]

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 14  
  
Escape from Wizard's Cavern  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma walked along the tunnel lazily, with Akane trailing just behind him. Neither had spoken in a long time, they merely strolled along through the darkness, searching for an exit to the maze.  
  
Finally, Akane spoke up. "I thought you said this exit would be near to that place."  
  
"It is, but we don't know where it is, so it might take us a bit longer to find it than someone who probably knew the way by heart," replied the pigtailed boy calmly. "We're probably pretty close, if you haven't noticed, we've been moving in circles for a while now. The cave doesn't go any further."  
  
"What?" said the black knight in shock.  
  
"I didn't figure you for the type who pays attention much," commented the boy calmly as he continued to walk.  
  
"This is..."  
  
"Bad? Yes I know. Those friends of yours must be getting close," said the boy lazily.  
  
"How can you be so calm? If they find us now, we'll die!" snarled the girl as she forcefully turned him to face her.  
  
"Calm down. Getting all excited won't help us. Besides, I've gotten out of worse scrapes than this one," said the boy with a small shrug. The ball of light floating just above his head flickered for a moment as Akane released him and stepped back.   
  
"Fine."  
  
"Good girl, come on now, we've got to find the way out now," said the boy in a patronizing tone as he started forward again.  
  
After a short time, Akane piped up again. "What the hell are we looking for anyway?"  
  
"Some kind of mark, small and unnatural looking. It could be a chalk drawing, or some rocks set up in a slightly unusual manner, even something as small as a scratch in the wall. You don't make a secret door without marking it somehow; otherwise, you might not find it yourself." He paused and glanced back at her again. "It'll probably be above our field of vision, or close to the ground."  
  
"Oh," said the girl with a small frown. "Something like that?" she pointed at a small white circle, long worn with time, near the ground on the wall.  
  
Ranma blinked and looked at it for a moment. "Uh, yeah."  
  
"I noticed it about two hours ago, the last time we passed by here," said the girl with a small growl.  
  
"You should have said something," replied the boy with a small shrug.  
  
"Why you..."  
  
"Okay, now we have to figure out how he opened it," muttered the boy as he forcefully pulled her hand away from the wall. She had approached it and tried to feel the stone with her hand. "Don't touch that wall."  
  
"What? Are you saying I can't open a stupid door?" snapped the girl in anger.  
  
"You probably could, but not on that wall. The door is over here," replied the boy with a small smirk. He jerked his thumb over to the opposite wall.  
  
"What?" said the girl dumbly.  
  
"You never mark the real spot where you put a secret door. That mark is a trap," said Ranma cheerfully.  
  
The boy walked over to the opposite wall and looked it up and down for a moment. "Hmmm..."  
  
"What are you waiting for?" snarled the knight.  
  
"Jeez you're impatient. Didn't anyone ever tell you? Never touch anything when dealing with a wizard. Most magical traps are activated by touch. It helps prevent them from going off in your face because you forgot to turn off your light spell, or happen to sneeze at the wrong time," replied the boy calmly. "Things that wouldn't normally be dangerous are especially bad. Like walls and doors."  
  
"They didn't teach thievery when I was a squire," snapped Akane curtly.  
  
"Too bad, it's useful," said Ranma with another shrug.  
  
"You seem to be taking this death trap rather casually," said the girl as she turned away from him and crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"I like my work," said Ranma cheerfully. He opened his palm and extended his arm towards the wall, holding it a few inches above the stone surface. "I wish we had some water, this is a lot easier as an elf."  
  
Akane bit back her reply and simply watched him for a moment as he concentrated on a particular portion of wall.   
  
"Here," said the boy as he pointed at a small area with his finger. "Let's see now..." He casually picked up a loose stone from the ground and tossed it into the wall. It passed right through.  
  
Akane gasped as she watched in awe. The sound of the stone clattering across the ground filled the cavern for a moment. "What?"  
  
"It's just an illusion," said Ranma calmly. They both paused as the sound of something large and metal crashing down echoed against the walls. "Whoa, that's not good," commented the pigtailed boy with a small frown.  
  
"What was that?" said Akane with a slight worry in her voice.  
  
"Trap," said the boy with yet another shrug. "Ready? We're going in."  
  
"What?" said the girl in shock as he grabbed her by the arm. "Are you crazy?"  
  
"No, normally I'd be a lot more careful, but that..." In answer to his unfinished sentence, the familiar screech of metal against metal sounded off in the distance of the cavern. "...that is our time running out."  
  
Akane paled as he jerked her forward, and jumped into the illusionary wall.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ryu frowned as he hid behind a large group of boulders, just above the main road. "Great."  
  
"Now what?" said Shampoo calmly as she glanced down at the seemingly endless rows of soldiers marching towards Joketsuko just below them.  
  
Ukyo growled slightly as she forced herself not to watch the invaders march into her country. Ryoga appeared to be taking a nap next to her, resting his back against the rocks.  
  
Ryu shifted the long bundle across his back in agitation and sighed. "Hell. We've got no choice, we're stuck here until they go by."  
  
"We could just say we're merchants, or even just travelers," offered Shampoo lazily.  
  
"Are you nuts? We haven't got any goods! They'll search anyone they come across. I'm sure every soldier in the imperial army knows the Kajakan is gone," snapped Ukyo.  
  
"She's right. We can't take that chance," agreed Ryu. "Once we get across the border, we should be relatively safe though."  
  
"How far is that?" said Ukyo impatiently.  
  
"About three more days walk," said Ryu calmly.  
  
"It didn't take us that long to get where we are now on the way here," pointed out Shampoo.  
  
"We weren't worried about being seen, and could use the roads then," said Ryu. "Three days, at least."  
  
  
"Great," muttered Ukyo sourly. "I never thought I'd be wishing to be out of my own country so badly."  
  
"Wake up that fool will you?" snapped Ryu as he glanced at the dwarf. The little man was starting to snore.  
  
Ukyo hit him on the head with the back of her gauntlet and he snapped awake.  
  
"Eh? Wha?" He glared at her for a moment and frowned. "Wha'd ya do that fer? You crazy cross dressing tin can!"  
  
"Shut the hell up jackass! You were making too much noise!" retorted the girl angrily.  
  
"Both of you calm down! Before you get us all killed!" snapped Ryu. He turned back towards the road again and frowned. Something had caught his eye suddenly. "Well, what have we here?"  
  
"What's up?" said Shampoo as she glanced over his shoulder.  
  
"Somebody important," said the boy casually. "Oh horseback, riding as if the ranks weren't there. It would take somebody pretty important for the soldiers to ignore that."  
  
"Three of them," commented Ukyo as she glanced from behind her own cover.  
  
"Hey! I know that guy!" whispered Ryoga angrily. "He's the jerk who tried to double cross me an' Ranma! Dirty bastard!"  
  
Shampoo's eyes were on the pair riding just behind the lead man. "Quiet! Nobody make a sound!" she snapped angrily.  
  
"Huh?" said Ukyo in surprise. "What's up?"  
  
"Beastmen," said Ryu with a slight growl.   
  
++++++++++  
  
"I don't like this," commented Mint as he glanced around the area nervously. "It feels like we're being watched."  
  
"Well, we're surrounded by soldiers," said Lime lazily. He didn't look particularly worried at the moment, and merely followed behind the proudly strutting Kuno.   
  
The noble was riding through the ranks of solders dressed in a dark purple outfit made of velvet. A long red cape draped across his shoulders with the Kuno family crest on it, showed who he was to all around him. On top of his head was what appeared to be an oversized hat with a huge feather sticking out of it on the top. He turned to look at his companions for a moment.  
  
"Surely you are catching a gaze that was meant for me. Some nameless peasant hidden away in the rocks, as to bask in my untold glory."  
  
"Now you're reaching," said Mint with a small frown. "This isn't a nice feeling though."  
  
"Maybe Nabiki is checking up on things?" offered Lime.   
  
"It could be. I don't think she likes us much..." agreed Mint.  
  
"Don't worry about it," said Lime with a small shrug.  
  
"I suppose you're right," muttered Mint as he glanced up at an alcove of rocks just above the road for a moment. He turned away and followed his companions through the center of the ranks.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Ranma rushed forward into the wall and stopped cold as soon as they passed through it.   
  
"I can't see a thing," muttered Akane angrily as she forcefully removed her arm from his grip and started to walk forward. She was stopped as Ranma barred his arm across her chest and glared at her for a moment.  
  
"What is it now?" she snapped quietly.  
  
"Are you dense? You don't just wander off into the darkness!" he chided and pushed her against the wall. With a small wave of his hand, several torches lit along a long brick hallway in front of them. It looked relatively new and extended for quite a ways into the distance. Several large, flat, and square metal plates made up the ceiling along the length hallway.  
  
"We have to hurry, those Niku will figure out what happened to us rather quickly," snapped Akane.  
  
"Right," muttered Ranma as he slowly walked forward, extending his hand behind him to keep Akane back.  
  
"I don't like this," he muttered as he glanced around cautiously. He felt something crunch under his foot as he lightly stepped forward. He gently moved back and looked down on the ground. There, lying in the middle of the floor, were the remains of the rock. It was nothing but a few shattered pieces resting in a fine white powder. "Oh shit."  
  
"What is it?" said Akane with an annoyed glare as she walked up beside him.   
  
"Get back!" he cried as he grabbed her and rolled onto the ground, he kept rolling as several large metal sections of the ceiling slammed down behind him, one after another. Finally, they stopped just in front of the entrance. He stood up shakily and dusted off his pants as he glared at the hallway angrily as the trap slowly reset itself by sliding back up into the ceiling. "I can't believe I fell for that," he muttered under his breath.  
  
"What the hell was that!?" cried Akane in panic.  
  
"I told you there'd be traps," snorted Ranma in irritation as he glanced around. "There should be some sort of switch to turn it off around here..."  
  
Akane snorted in disgust and reached up to one of the torches along the wall. "It's obviously one of these torches..."  
  
"No! Don't!" cried the boy a little too late.  
  
"What is it?" snapped the knight as she walked towards him.  
  
He grabbed her arm and pulled her forward as the section of ceiling just in front of the entrance came down. "Run for it!" snapped the pigtailed boy as he began to move, pulling her arm as he went.  
  
Akane managed to barely keep up just in front of him and stopped cold as he stopped moving suddenly and grabbed Akane's arm jolting her back. One of the walls slammed down in front of her face, barely missing her nose by a hair's width. She simply stood in silent horror, gasping desperately for breath, as they found themselves enclosed on both sides by the thick walls of metal. They hadn't even made it halfway down the long hallway from what Ranma had seen before their view was blocked suddenly.  
  
"Why did you stop?" muttered Akane with a slight fear in her voice.  
  
"The ceiling here is made of stone, look," said the boy as he pointed upwards. One of the torches still burned on the wall beside them, the metal pillars left just enough room for them on either side, but nowhere near enough room for them to get out.  
  
"Oh," muttered the girl nervously as she glanced around.  
  
"I thought I told you never to touch the obvious," muttered Ranma as he glanced around at their situation.  
  
"Fine, I'll just stand there next time," snapped the girl in irritation.  
  
"Good." He paused and frowned suddenly. "The trap isn't resetting itself."  
  
"You mean we're stuck here?" said the knight with a slightly frightened look in her eyes.  
  
"I didn't say that, it reset before. We must have triggered something," said the boy as he fell to his hands and knees and inspected the floor carefully. After a moment he stood up and sighed. "Great, a pressure sensitive floor."  
  
"What can we do?" grumbled Akane angrily.  
  
"Turn around," said the boy with a smirk on his face.  
  
"Pardon?" said Akane with a slight edge in her voice.  
  
"Just do it. Trust me," replied the pigtailed boy with a sigh.  
  
+++++++++  
  
"So, is it safe to move yet?" said Ukyo as she glanced over to Ryu from behind the rocks.  
  
"No, but it's clear of soldiers," replied the boy as he stood up.   
  
"I wonder who that man was?" commented Shampoo as she glanced in the direction the soldiers had traveled. "He didn't seem to be moving with the soldiers."  
  
"Eh? That ass Kuno? He's just some minor noble in the kings court," said Ryoga with a small wave of his hand. "Nothing to worry about really."  
  
"A single man doesn't worry me, I just don't like the idea of tangling with two beastmen," commented Ukyo.  
  
"Those two were definitely dangerous," agreed Shampoo.   
  
"I'm still not talking to you," groused Ukyo as she turned away from the elf.  
  
"Let's hope that lasts a while," commented Ryu as he started walking towards the path.  
  
"Aye," snorted Ryoga as he wandered off in a random direction. Ukyo belted him over the head with the staff of her spear again.  
  
"Wench! Stop that!" snarled the dwarf as he whirled around.  
  
"This way midget!" said the girl with a frown.  
  
"I ain't a midget! I'm a dwarf damn you!"  
  
"Same difference," said Ukyo with a small shrug as she followed after Ryu.  
  
Ryoga glared at her and clenched his fists. "Damn you! Ranma! This is all your fault!"  
  
Shampoo blinked as she walked up next to him. "How did you come to that, interesting, conclusion?"  
  
"Eh? She's his girlfriend after all," replied the dwarf as if she should have known that already.  
  
"She isn't," snapped the elf as she turned away and followed after the other two travelers.  
  
"Eh? Women are so damned confusing? What the hell is going on here? I'll bet it's that damn Ranma's fault. I'll give him a good beating when we find him again! Yup, that's exactly what he deserves." The dwarf nodded to himself as he kept in step with the others.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma and Akane had their backs pressed together, they slowly walked up opposite walls inside the small enclosure.  
  
"How much longer?" gasped Akane with strain clearly on her face.  
  
"Until the floor resets, and the trap is reset," gasped the boy as he simply stared at the torch between his legs.  
  
As if in answer to him, the sound of a pulley system of some kind kicked in, and the metal slowly rose back into its place on the ceiling. Ranma felt Akane starting to relax and frowned. "Hold it, not until the trap is completely reset!"  
  
"I can't go much longer," she gasped.  
  
"Almost!" replied the boy through his own gasps.  
  
The knight grunted as she strained, slowly feeling her legs weaken under the strain.  
  
"Now!" said Ranma as he pushed off the wall. Akane just let her entire body relax, and they both landed on the hard ground roughly, piled in a small heap. Each was gasping for breath and fumbling over each other as they attempted to push apart. Finally, they untangled their bodies and sat across from each other, panting.  
  
"So... now what?" said the knight with a small glare at him.  
  
"Hey!... Why are you mad?... It's your fault we're in this mess," replied the boy.  
  
"How...the hell is this...my fault?"  
  
"You fell down the hole..." replied Ranma.   
  
That was when something caught both their attentions. A familiar sound, that they desperately wanted to forget.  
  
"Oh, man," muttered Ranma with a pained look on his face as he staggered to his feet and pulled Akane up with him.   
  
Standing at the other end of the hall, were the two remaining Niku.  
  
"No! I can't run!" lamented Akane as she turned and started to move away.  
  
"Better hurry," said Ranma as he grabbed her arm and forced her to move faster. She glanced at him for a moment and her eyes went wide as she saw what was in his hand.   
  
"You didn't," she managed to gasp.  
  
"Less talking, more running," said Ranma as he threw the torch he had pulled off of the wall to the ground. The hallway filled with the familiar sound of metal slamming into the ground behind them.  
  
Akane screamed as the shrieking of the Niku grew louder as they ran, along with the slamming of the metal into the stone floor. She dared a look back and saw that both of the tiny assassins were just ahead of the crushing metal, bouncing along the walls as they charged fearlessly forward, gaining at an alarming rate.  
  
She turned and faced forward, the hallway ended just ahead. A small doorway was open just in front of them. She glanced back again and screamed as she felt Ranma jerk her arm forward again, just in time to save her face from the snapping jaws of one of the Niku.   
  
Ranma forced himself to pull ahead as the Niku nipped at their heels in a most literal sense. He frowned as Akane screamed again from beside him, apparently she had seen the door in front of them slowly closing shut from above. He put everything he had into sprinting all out and dove pushing the girl just ahead of him just as the door closed behind them. Then, there was darkness and the sound of the last metal crusher slamming into the floor behind the thick stone door. At that point, Akane finally stopped screaming, apparently not even aware that she was until that point.  
  
Ranma sat up and sighed. "I should have kept the torch."  
  
"Do you really want to go back and get it?" snapped Akane angrily.  
  
"Boy, you sure are loud for a knight," commented the pigtailed boy as he scratched the inside of his ear with his pinky.  
  
"Shut up!" replied the girl curtly.  
  
"Whatever, at least those things are finally dead," said Ranma with a small shrug. A wasted gesture in the pitch-blackness.  
  
A faint light suddenly filled the room. Ranma paused and looked up to see Akane holding a light enchanted dagger.  
  
"Hey, where did you get that?" he muttered dumbly.  
  
"The only place you didn't search," replied the girl curtly.  
  
Ranma made a sick looking face and simply turned to look at the room. It was a large stone room, about a hundred yards long, and twenty yards wide. It was also completely empty, with a single door on the opposite wall.  
  
"Didn't work when you tried to cut those ropes with it?" said the pigtailed boy with a cheerful look on his face again.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Hey, just askin."  
  
"Let's get out of here," commented Akane as she started to walk forward.  
  
"Damn it tomboy! How many times am I going to say the same thing!" snapped the boy as he grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her forcibly back.  
  
She was simply staring forward with a look of shock on her face. "I..."  
  
"You'd better start listening to me. That's twice you've almost gotten yourself killed doing something stupid," said Ranma firmly.   
  
Akane merely nodded and touched her face. There was a long gash on her right cheek, and another one across her throat, both were bleeding quite freely. "What happened?"  
  
"You ran into this," said Ranma as he picked her knife up off the floor where she had dropped it. He reached out carefully with the blade extended, and seemed to tap at nothing in the air.  
  
Akane gasped as a single, shining, line of metal started to vibrate in the light that the blade emitted, exactly where he had struck.  
  
Ranma simply stared forward into the room and sighed. "There are probably thousands of these, all across the room. We're going to be here a while. Just follow me, and do exactly as I do."  
  
Akane found herself merely nodding as she stood back on her feet.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
"When is it Akane Tendo is supposed to pass by this place?" Tatewaki Kuno stood in the middle of a small field, just outside the forest that Nabiki had told him about.  
  
"Another day or so," said Mint lazily.  
  
"This does not bode well. The Blue Thunder must have a bed under his mighty back, to ensure that his prowess does not decrease in the night, due to improper maintenance of his mighty form!"  
  
"Huh?" muttered Lime as he glanced back at the man in confusion.  
  
"I want you two to fetch me a proper bed," said the boy as he rolled his eyes at them.  
  
"He's kidding right?" said Mint as he looked towards his companion.  
  
"I sure hope so," commented Lime. "There's no way we could find a bed, especially out here in the middle of nowhere."  
  
"What is this? Surely such a simple task is too much for such feeble minds to comprehend!" roared the boy.  
  
"If it's so simple, you find one," replied Mint.  
  
Kuno stared at him and sputtered. "You think the Mighty Blue Thunder would soil his hands with such common work?"  
  
"If you find a bed, we'll carry it for you, where ever you want to put it," said Mint lazily.  
  
"Right," agreed Lime.  
  
Kuno glared at them for a moment. "Very well, perhaps this could be a character building experience, such as the honored Lord Kuno has said before." He looked over to them again, "I shall be merciful, and allow you to bring me dinner instead."  
  
The two beastmen looked at one another and then back at him again.  
  
"You know... no one would ever know..." commented Lime.  
  
"Do you really think she'd let us get away with it?" pointed out Mint.  
  
"Right. Darn witch," muttered Lime in irritation. "We might as well do as he says then."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Ranma and Akane were almost to the door. It had taken them a half-hour to reach the point they were at, and about twenty yards separated them from the next chamber. There was no way to see what they would find there, only pitch-blackness could be seen inside.  
  
Akane was covered in small cuts, and even Ranma had a few on him. Neither looked particularly happy at the moment as they slowly made their way towards the exit.  
  
"Almost," grumbled Ranma as he stepped over one of the wires carefully. He slowly lowered his leg and watched as it touched the floor before breathing a sigh of relief. "One step closer."  
  
"How comforting," deadpanned Akane as she performed the same maneuver immediately after him, while he searched the next area for the invisible wires with the knife cautiously.  
  
They both turned as a slow rumbling came from behind them. An orange light slowly seemed to fill the room, shining on the wires behind them giving a surreal spider web like effect. The ones in front of them could still not be seen. However, that did nothing to alleviate their worry, as a small figure stepped into the room, brandishing a spear with a crescent shaped blade on the tip. It worked its jaws slowly, filling the room with a high pitched shriek.  
  
"Damn," muttered Ranma as he turned and continued to search for wires with a little more speed than before.  
  
"One of them survived?" gasped Akane as she moved up and grabbed at his shoulder.  
  
"I know," said the boy in a strained voice as he worked desperately.  
  
"Hurry up!" muttered the girl in alarm.  
  
"Don't worry, the wires will slow him down," said the pigtailed boy as he stepped forward slowly.  
  
A new sound filled the room, a plinking noise, followed by a high pitched whine that lasted only a second or so. Akane turned, and frowned as she saw the tiny creature jumping through the web, pulling wires along with it as it charged forward fearlessly.  
  
"Hurry!" she repeated in alarm.  
  
"I'm goin!" he snapped as he worked faster, earning another cut on his arm for his impatience. He glanced back and saw the thing moving towards them fast, there was no way they could make it. "Shit!"  
  
"Do something!" screamed the girl in his hear.  
  
"Quit yellin!" retorted the boy as the thing stopped just behind them and snarled angrily. "Get down!"  
  
The Niku jumped, the sound of wires breaking filled the air around them, the pair could feel the deadly thin strips of metal passing over them at high speed, cutting into the stone floor around them and whipping about viciously. Finally, the noise stopped.  
  
Ranma and Akane stood up and glanced down at the thing for a moment as it stood between them and the doorway, grinning evilly. Hundreds of the little wires were covering its body, small flecks of metal were missing all over the thing's body. It giggled once, and fell cleanly in half along its waist.  
  
"That's four," commented Ranma with a smirk as he stepped over it and paused in front of the door, he reached in with the knife and looked around. The walls were natural again, and it appeared to be a tunnel of some sort, a tunnel with a light at the end.  
  
He turned back towards Akane and smiled as he handed the knife back to her, holding it between his thumb and forefingers. "Here, you can put this back now."  
  
The knight blushed suddenly and glared at him. "You'd like that wouldn't you!"  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here," muttered the pigtailed boy lazily as he started walking into the cavern.  
  
They started towards the light, but stopped as an insane giggling filled the air from behind them.  
  
"No way," said Ranma as he slowly turned and saw the Niku's top half smiling at them.  
  
"Run!" screamed Akane as she passed by him.  
  
The boy easily rushed by her, rushing towards the light, and the strange roar that suddenly filled the air from somewhere. "Now what?" muttered the boy as he glanced around for the source of the noise.  
  
Behind them, the Niku was snapping its jaws and running along the floor with the remains of its hands. Somehow, it was even faster than before as it relentlessly pursued them down the long tunnel.  
  
Just as he passed Akane, the world became very bright. He reached out as he realized what was happening and grabbed her arm, feeling his body shift suddenly. He felt his shoulder jerk violently as he grabbed the wall of rock and hung with the girl in his grasp.   
  
Slowly, his vision cleared and he saw that he was inside a large shadow, the air was soaking wet with a thick mist, and a deafening roar seemed to pound at his ears from the giant waterfall that was falling into a rocky alcove below, just over their heads.  
  
Ranma looked up and saw the Niku sail out of the tunnel like a bullet, snapping its jaws at two target's that weren't there any longer. It vanished into the waters and plummeted down onto the rocks below to its death.  
  
"Got 'em," commented Ranma, who was now in his cursed form and hanging off of the tunnel opening by one hand, with Akane gripping her arm desperately. Slowly, she pulled herself up and managed to drag Akane up to the wall, where she could get her own grip on the wall. After a moment of simply clinging and trying to catch their breath, the pair started to climb the slippery surface. Ranma nodded towards the right of the cavern opening. Three feet from the hole, was the beginning of a path that would lead them to the ground.  
  
Akane looked at him, and nodded her head slowly. Ranma didn't fail to notice the flash of anger there.  
  
"So, it's time we settled this is it?" thought the elf girl to herself as she climbed.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Evil. Yes I know. Oh well, till next time. Then we'll have Ranma and Akane in a heart to heart discussion about the evils of stealing. Yeah, right. Plus, Ryu and the others try and dodge the military, while trying to escape the country.  



	15. The Dragon and the Ghost[Part 15]

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 15  
  
Prisoner of Honor  
  
+++++++++  
  
Akane Tendo pulled herself up onto the path, and away from the  
edge of the waterfall. The Niku were dead, and she and Ranma had  
barely escaped with their lives.  
  
Now, she found herself looking down the edge of the cliff and into  
the water below; a place that could have easily been her grave.  
  
Ranma shifted her weight and grabbed the edge of the path as well.  
She pulled herself up slowly and grunted in effort as she attempted to  
heave herself up, only to find herself still hanging off the edge, and  
looking at a pair of black leather boots directly in front of her  
face.  
  
"Well, well. It seems that you've made a mistake thief," said  
Akane with a cocky grin on her face as she placed her dagger on the  
girl's throat lazily. "Should I get rid of you now?"  
  
Ranma glared up at her angrily. "I thought we were being nice for  
the moment. You gave your word."  
  
"I said, until we escaped the cavern. We aren't in the cavern  
anymore," said Akane with a dark smile on her lips a she pressed the  
blade down a little bit against the soft flesh of the elf girl's  
throat.  
  
"Of all the ungrateful little," muttered Ranma angrily, more to  
herself than the knight.  
  
"Ungrateful? It's your fault I was in this mess in the first  
place," snapped the knight in retort.  
  
"I could have just killed you in that castle you know," said the  
redhead angrily.  
  
"You probably should have, I'm not particularly worried at the  
moment," replied the girl lazily as she pulled her hand back slightly,  
but not enough to allow Ranma to climb up any further.  
  
"What are you going to do with me? I'm at your mercy after all,"  
spat the elf.  
  
"I was thinking about cutting your throat, but that would be too  
easy. I think I'll just wait around for your arms to give out. If you  
try to get away, I'll just cut you open," said the knight with a shrug  
of her shoulders.  
  
"I can hang here all day you know," said Ranma with her frown  
deepening.  
  
"I've got plenty of time to wait," replied the knight.  
  
Ranma growled; she might have been able to hang for that long, if  
she was male, and hadn't just spent the last hour or so running away  
from the demonic golems. As it was, her arms were beginning to burn  
from fatigue. "You can't kill me though."  
  
"Why not? You're lucky I'm kind enough to do that," snapped Akane  
as she pushed the knife against the elf's throat again.  
  
"Because you need me," said Ranma as she smirked back at her.  
  
"What on earth for?" snapped Akane.  
  
"The Kajakan. You can't go back without it can you?" said Ranma  
calmly.  
  
Akane growled and narrowed her eyes at the girl. "What of it?"  
  
"If you kill me, you'll never see it again. Ryu is as good as I  
am, you'll never find him without me," said the pigtailed girl as her  
grin widened suddenly. "You're as good as dead without me."  
  
"I'll hunt them to the ends of the earth if I have too. I don't  
need you," snapped the knight bitterly.  
  
"Come on. We're wanted on every country on the continent. No one  
knows what we look like, except for you maybe. To top it off, we've  
got hundreds of bounty hunters after us, all sorts of guards and  
soldiers, even wizards with more power than you could even dream of  
having. What makes you think you've got a chance in hell of finding  
him?" said the redhead haughtily.  
  
Akane growled and glared at the girl as hard as she could. "I'll  
find a way."  
  
"You'll die first. Killed by your own countrymen, or some bounty  
hunter along the line somewhere. You don't know how to hide away.  
Without me, you're dead, and you know it," insisted Ranma as calmly as  
ever.  
  
"I don't fear death," replied Akane firmly.  
  
"No, but you do want revenge, don't you?" said Ranma. She was  
starting to run out of ideas, and her arms were getting steadily  
weaker.  
  
"What do you mean? Against you, or my bitch of a sister?" snorted  
Akane with a slight smirk on her face.  
  
"Does it really matter?" said Ranma with the same grin. "If you  
kill me now, your revenge will be hollow. My last job will still have  
been completed. I'll die a legend, not great, but still a pretty good  
deal."  
  
Akane's pride waged war inside of her for a moment, but finally,  
she conceded. "I suppose you're right," said the knight with a sigh as  
she turned and started walking down the path.  
  
Ranma let out a long breath of her own and pulled herself up from  
the edge of the cliff. She sprawled out across the ground breathing  
heavily for a moment, and then raised her head and looked down the  
path at Akane. The knight was still walking away; Ranma narrowed her  
eyes and snorted just before she faded into nothing.  
  
A moment later, Akane Tendo seemed to fall to the ground out cold,  
for no apparent reason.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
  
"How much further?" grumbled Ryoga as he looked back nervously.  
The party was walking down a snow-covered road, it was well traveled,  
but soldiers would use the larger ones that led directly to the city.  
They seemed pretty safe for the moment.  
  
"Another two days," commented Ryu lazily as he walked calmly ahead  
of the nervous trio.  
  
"It's been too quiet," commented Ukyo as she looked around.  
  
"Actually, this is pretty normal. I'm good at my job, we shouldn't  
have any trouble getting to the border," said Ryu as he glanced back  
at her for a moment.  
  
"Well, that's reassuring," commented Shampoo honestly.  
  
"I still don't like this," grumbled Ukyo dejectedly.  
  
"You act like you want something to happen. Some sort of grand  
escape, running from our pursuers and cutting through them in battle  
to get away," commented Ryu with a shrug.  
  
Ukyo blushed. "I'm kind of used to that sort of thing."  
  
"I figured as much, you knights aren't much for subtlety," said  
Ryu as he continued on his way, almost oblivious to the conversation.  
  
"What's that ahead?" said Ryoga with a small frown. Down the road  
ahead of them, a small caravan could be seen coming down the road.  
  
"Looks like traders," said Shampoo.  
  
"No, gypsies of some kind," said Ryu as he narrowed his eyes and  
tried to see them a little better. "Locals I think."  
  
Ukyo nodded at his assumption. "There are several traveling tribes  
that roam through the mountains. Most of them are humans."  
  
"They're friendly enough, we should just pass by without any  
problems," said Ryu with a shrug.  
  
"Their thieves, and vagabonds," snorted Ukyo in disgust.  
  
Ryu just grinned back at her with his hands on top of his head as  
he strolled along. "Like I said, friendly people. Hide your wallets  
people, and don't let anyone run into you, especially kids."  
  
  
Shampoo frowned, and held out her palm over her purse. It was a  
small leather bag that hung from her side.  
  
"What did you do?" commented Ukyo.  
  
"Don't notice me," replied the girl with a small shrug. "Want me  
to do yours?"  
  
"Sure," commented Ukyo in slight surprise. "Don't try anything  
funny though."  
  
"I'm not so petty," replied the elven girl with a small frown.  
  
As soon as the spell was completed she looked to Ryoga. "How about  
you?"  
  
"These gypsies aren't stupid enough to steal from a dwarf,"  
replied the small man gruffly.  
  
"He's right," commented Ryu. "Elves and Dwarves would be left  
alone by most small time thieves, dwarves have a tendency to hold  
grudges."  
  
"And elves?" said Shampoo with her eyebrow raising slightly.  
  
"Have magic," said Ryu calmly. The lead of the caravan approached  
and he raised his arm in greeting. Weaving through a small crowd of  
children, who had suddenly appeared from the ranks of wagons,  
apparently sent out to play.  
  
One of the kids stopped suddenly and looked back at him. "He's  
with a guild!" The child tossed back a worthless looking necklace to  
him, and Ryu caught it out of the air before winking at the child.  
  
Shampoo and the others blinked as the crowd of kids seemed to  
disperse from around them suddenly.  
  
The caravan continued onward, leaving the group of travelers  
behind unmolested.  
  
"What the hell was that? How did he know?" snapped Ukyo.  
  
"I can't say," replied Ryu as he put the necklace back inside his  
shirt before she noticed it.  
  
"Honor among thieves?" said Shampoo with a slight chuckle.  
  
"Indeed," agreed Ryoga with a small frown as he watched the  
caravan continue to move away.  
  
"They would recognize a guild from that far away?" said Ukyo in  
shock. "You came from, Alura, if I recall."  
  
"Don't be so naive, Ranma and I are a member of all of them,"  
snorted the boy as he continued to walk down the road.  
  
"All of them?" muttered Shampoo in surprise. "That's not possible!  
There are hundreds; and considering the wars that happen between some  
of them..."  
  
"What's that got to do with us?" snorted Ryu in reply.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"Where are we?" grumbled Akane irritably as she walked behind  
Ranma with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Just a road. It leads out of Joketsuko," snorted Ranma casually.  
"About a days walk from Morid."  
  
"That far?" said the girl in surprise.  
  
"We spent a while inside that cave," replied the thief casually.  
  
"Where are we going elf?" snorted the angry woman as she looked  
away from her companion in disgust.  
  
"Away from here," was the only reply.  
  
Akane snorted, but remained silent. They were coming up on the  
edge of the woods that they were walking through. The sun shined down  
brightly on them suddenly as they found themselves in the middle of a  
snow covered clearing.  
  
"Halt! Weep for joy at last! For I have come to save you Akane  
Tendo!"  
  
"Oh shit," grumbled the knight as she spun on her heels and saw  
Tatewaki Kuno standing on top of a boulder.  
  
"I know that voice," muttered Ranma under her breath as she slowly  
turned towards him as well. "Hello Kuno, it's been a while."  
  
Akane glanced at the redhead in surprise. "You know him?"  
  
"I did a job for him once, he offered me a place in his harem as  
opposed to paying me. Apparently he thought it was a better deal, I  
disagreed," snorted the pigtailed girl irritably.  
  
Akane wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. "Kuno, what the hell  
are you doing here?"  
  
"It is the Pigtailed Forest Nymph! Have you decided to give up  
your life of poverty and join me at the side of the beauteous Akane  
Tendo? Oh! How I weep for joy!"  
  
"I'd rather stay with you than get rescued by the likes of him!"  
snapped Akane bitterly as she glared at her captor for a moment.  
  
"Don't worry, I can handle this moron," snorted Ranma as she  
slowly unsheathed the blade from her back.  
  
"I see you have kept that as a sign of your love," said the noble  
stoically.  
  
"You still haven't paid me for getting it for you," replied the  
girl with a dark tone in her voice. "That damn dwarf hunted me down  
for four years because of you!"  
  
"Surely he found it impossible to destroy such a flower of beauty!  
Come I shall give you your payment at last!" said the noble with tears  
of joy in his face.  
  
"I want my money you jerk!" snapped Ranma as she jumped towards  
him with the blade held over her head.  
  
Kuno spread his arms as if to embrace her as he jumped forward as  
well. "Come into my arms my love!"  
  
Ranma paused in mid air as two blurs passed by, crossing directly  
between them in the air. Both she and Kuno landed, staggering back on  
their feet as they hit the ground.  
  
"What the?" muttered Ranma in shock as she looked at the two  
figures that flanked her.  
  
"I wouldn't recommend that," said the wolf man as he bared his  
teeth at her.  
  
"We don't like it when people attack our superiors. However much  
we dislike them personally," agreed the tiger man as he glanced back  
at Kuno for a moment.  
  
Ranma smirked suddenly from between them. "Beast men huh? How  
boring."  
  
"We've come for the Kajakan, where is it?" snapped Lime as he  
backed away slightly  
  
"Tell us, and we might let you live," agreed Mint as he moved back  
slightly as well.  
  
"Heh, we don't have it," replied the redhead calmly as she  
sheathed her blade and stood calmly suddenly.  
  
"Lady Akane! Are you all right?" said Lime as he looked over his  
shoulder. He paused when he saw her standing over the prone form of  
Kuno, huffing angrily as she glared down at him.  
  
"Lady Akane I love you? I wish only to be with you my love? I knew  
it! Jerk! Asshole! Pervert! Philanderer!" she punctuated each word  
with another kick.  
  
"Please! Don't kill him! We'll get in trouble!" whined Mint as he  
started to move towards her tentatively.  
  
Akane leveled a glare at him and he backed away with his ears  
pressed against his head. Lime was doing the same thing.  
  
"He... was yours?" muttered Ranma in half amusement.  
  
"He was not! This delusional jerk was never mine!" snapped the  
knight as she spun around and faced the elf.  
  
"We're here to take you back!" said Mint with a sudden nervous  
cheer in his voice.  
  
"Yeah!" agreed Lime.  
  
"So this ass can get credit for rescuing me? I think not!" snapped  
the girl bitterly as she whirled around at them again. "I'd rather die  
out here!"  
  
"Please, be reasonable!" muttered Mint pathetically.  
  
"She never has been before," commented Ranma lazily as she sat  
back and watched the scene in amusement.  
  
"Who are you anyway?" snapped both beast men as they turned  
towards her. They growled and stalked towards her, she seemed rather  
calm about the whole affair.  
  
"Just a thief," she said with a small shrug.  
  
"Oh, do you know where the Kajakan is?" said Lime as he sat down  
in the snow and looked towards Mint calmly.  
  
"Yeah?" agreed Lime.  
  
"No," said the thief with another small shrug.  
  
"Oh, never mind then," said Mint as he turned towards Akane. "Can  
we eat her?"  
  
Akane stopped beating on the prone form of Kuno and blinked. She  
suddenly became angry again. "No! I need him to get the Kajakan back!"  
  
"Him?" muttered Mint as he turned and looked at the elf for a  
moment. The redhead had a stupid looking grin on her face.  
  
"I don't think she's all there right now. I say we eat the elf,  
and take Lady Akane back home," said Lime after a moment of thought.  
  
"Sounds like a plan," agreed Mint cheerfully.  
  
"A bad one at that," deadpanned Ranma as she glared at them.  
  
"Huh? What's wrong with it?" said Lime in irritation.  
  
"Well, besides me getting eaten, Akane will be killed if she goes  
back without the Kajakan," said the elf with yet another shrug. "Not  
that you could eat me anyway."  
  
"Hey! We can eat you! I've eaten lots of elves!" snapped Lime.  
  
"Have not," muttered Mint under his breath.  
  
"Shut up! I have too! So have you!" said the tiger man as he  
glared at his friend for a moment.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah! Right, we both have!" said the wolf man with a  
sudden dawning on his face.  
  
"Um, right," muttered Ranma as she walked between them. "I'll just  
go stop Akane from killing that guy now."  
  
Both beast men whirled around and got shocked looks on their  
faces. "No! Lady Akane! Please don't rip those off! He might need them  
someday!"  
  
++++++++++++  
  
Nabiki smiled as she watched Akane Tendo attempt to do grievous  
bodily harm to the prone form of Tatewaki Kuno.  
  
"Well, I never knew she had it in her," she commented lazily as  
she sipped at a goblet of wine and looked over at Herb. He was  
standing near the doorway with a smug looking grin on his face. "There  
may have been hope for her yet."  
  
"So, we have it then?" said Herb as he walked up to her calmly.  
  
"No, they don't appear to have the Kajakan with them," replied  
Nabiki as she glared into the mirror again for a moment.  
  
"What?" snapped Herb angrily. The image faded away as he turned to  
look at it, Ranma had looked directly at him for a moment it seemed,  
before the image faded.  
  
"Don't worry so much darling. There were a few of them missing.  
Our old friend, and my sister appeared to be alone for the moment.  
That's why I told you to send those two after them. It's always easier  
to watch him, if there's someone nearby I can lock onto." The witch  
tossed her hair over her shoulder and took another drink from her cup.  
  
Herb grabbed her by her throat and lifted her off the floor,  
causing her to spit the liquid into the air in surprise. "Where is  
it?" he snarled angrily.  
  
Nabiki looked down at him and snarled. Her hands thrust forward,  
and he was thrown back into the wall of the room. She raised her hand  
as she landed and he slid about three feet up the wall, clutching at  
his throat. "Don't forget who you're talking to darling. I have as  
much to lose as you do. I will find it." She released him and he fell  
to the ground, landing on his feet calmly.  
  
"Of course, forgive me," said the man placidly as he bowed his  
head slightly. A light smile formed on his lips. She had been afraid  
for a moment, they both knew he could have killed her easily if he had  
wanted too. "I acted rashly."  
  
Nabiki smirked for a moment and looked him up and down. "Yes, it's  
such a turn on Herb darling."  
  
"Maybe later, find me the Kajakan," said the man as he whirled  
around and let his cape billow out as he left her alone in the room.  
  
"Of course, my love," she replied with a dark look in her eyes as  
she turned towards the mirror again.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Akane rushed along the snow with Ranma at her side. While the two  
beast men were distracted with saving Kuno, Ranma had belted them both  
over the head and sent them to the ground. They wouldn't be out long,  
and she knew it. Now, she forcefully pulled Akane along beside her.  
  
"Where are we going?" snapped the knight angrily.  
  
"There!" said Ranma as she pointed to the road below. A long  
caravan passed by below them.  
  
"We can't hide down there! Lime and Mint will..." started the  
knight.  
  
"They can't track us. I hid our scent from them," replied the elf  
girl with a small smirk.  
  
"Huh? You can do that?" muttered Akane in shock.  
  
"Of course. Every thief worth his salt knows that spell. It's  
easy," replied the elf girl with a small wink. "Come on. I know these  
people, they'll hide us."  
  
"If you hid our scent..." started Akane with a small frown.  
  
"I didn't have time to hide our tracks," replied Ranma as she  
pointed back at the footprints. "If we ride with them for a way,  
they'll just think that they lost them on the road. They'll head in  
the most obvious direction, away from Joketsuko. If we travel with  
these people for about half a day, and double back..."  
  
"Right, they'll have given up chasing us by then," agreed Akane.  
  
"At the very least, we'll be able to move behind them. Which is  
the best place to hide if someone is chasing you," said Ranma with a  
light smirk on her face.  
  
Akane sighed and nodded her head. She knew there was no way she  
could go back yet, she would never live down the shame of failing if  
she did, if she wasn't put to death on sight that is.  
  
+++++++++  
  
"So, you need to be hidden away? From these invaders of the  
emperor?" said the chieftain of the gypsy tribe as he looked the two  
women up and down.  
  
He was an older man, of about sixty years old. He didn't look much  
older than forty, and a very capable forty at that. He had a long  
white beard, and broad shoulders. His dress was brightly colored  
pants, and a dark vest. Most of the other men were in similar clothes.  
  
  
The women wore long colorful dresses, and white shirts with  
bandannas tied on their heads. Many wore ornate jewelry, and large  
earrings.  
  
They were in the back of the lead wagon. It seemed almost like a  
closet inside, or a dressing room. A few small beds rested along the  
back end of the wagon, with a small table in the center. Three men  
stood in front of the two women.  
  
"That's right, we're willing to pay," said Ranma calmly as she  
showed him a medallion that she had pulled from her shirt. It was one  
of many, but he didn't know that either.  
  
"Hmm, it looks authentic," said the man with a nod.  
  
"Another with one like it passed by earlier. Heading to the  
south," commented one of the men nearby. "My son reported it."  
  
"Aye, I remember," agreed the older man.  
  
"My partner," confirmed Ranma with a small nod.  
  
"I see, you are in the middle of a job then?" said the old man  
calmly.  
  
"That's my business," replied Ranma.  
  
"All right," chuckled the old man merrily. "I suppose we should.  
Tell me your names."  
  
"I'm Ranma, and this is Akane," said the redhead with a serious  
nod.  
  
Akane merely bowed her head. Ranma had told her not to speak, and  
she had fortunately seen the wisdom of that. She doubted if she could  
curb her tongue against such rubbish for very long.  
  
"Ah, I take it she is also a part of this guild?" said the man as  
he looked her up and down. The loose black clothing was normal for a  
thief.  
  
"She's part of this, I won't say more. I'm afraid I can't  
elaborate any more than I have," said Ranma cheerfully.  
  
"I see, come on then. We'll get you some clothes," said the man  
with another small laugh.  
  
"Nothing too girlish I hope," grumbled Ranma as she watched him  
pick up a box full of brightly colored clothing.  
  
"Just hope they're kind enough to give me some privacy," snorted  
Akane angrily.  
  
Ranma merely smiled as she watched the men leave the cabin. She  
had noticed several small peepholes inside the walls, but thought it  
would be best not to mention that.  
  
Akane looked at her and tapped her boot on the ground impatiently.  
"Well?"  
  
"Well what?" replied Ranma in surprise.  
  
"Get out so I can change you pervert!" snapped the knight as she  
barely held back her rage.  
  
"Oh," said the elf with a sour look appearing on her face. "Look,  
you don't have anything I don't have better alright. If it bothers you  
that much, just wait until I'm done. It'll look weird if we take  
turns." The redhead pulled out a colorful dress and tossed it over her  
shoulder. Throwing a bra, and pair of panties aside. She never had  
worn them, and probably never would. "I don't see how you can wear  
these things, they're damn uncomfortable," she commented with a small  
glance back at her companion.  
  
"Pervert," grumbled Akane as she started to pull her boots off.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Tatewaki Kuno frowned as he walked along the path and glared at  
the two beast men in front of him. "You lost the scent? Fools!"  
  
"It's not our fault! That elf probably knows magic to hide it from  
us! She's a thief after all!" replied Mint irritably.  
  
"Where are we going?" said Kuno as he noticed the pair shift back  
into their human forms.  
  
"Back to Morid, there's no point in chasing after them. We'll  
never see them again. We need to consult with Mistress Nabiki again,"  
said Lime angrily. He was still rubbing the spot on the back of his  
head where he had been hit.  
  
"Hey, what's that?" commented Mint as he looked at the orange  
light ahead of them.  
  
"Looks like some sort of camp," said Lime as he looked back  
towards Kuno for instruction.  
  
"We will greet them. Perhaps they have a bit of food, and a warm  
place for me to rest my head," he said with remarkable calm.  
  
"Right!" agreed the pair cheerfully.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Akane stood beside Ranma by one of the fires. She had been  
brooding all day.  
  
"Hey, you don't look bad in a dress," said the redhead cheerfully  
as she handed her a mug of beer. She had just returned from getting  
the drinks, and two empty plates rested on the ground where they were  
sitting.  
  
"Neither do you," replied Akane snidely.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I don't," snorted the elf crudely.  
  
Akane rolled her eyes, the elf girl had clearly been restraining  
herself from attacking various men all day. The gypsy men were far  
from shy, and she had too restrain herself as well, numerous times.  
Even by some men who were old enough to be her father. There were a  
few black eyes and bruised noses within the camp, but nothing worse.  
Which was unfortunate in her mind.  
  
"We'll rest here tonight," said Ranma as she took a swig of her  
drink and looked at a group of men who passed nearby.  
  
"I don't trust them," snorted Akane as she noticed the men were  
also looking at them.  
  
"Neither do I, but we'll be safer here than on the road. Besides,  
either one of us could handle any man here without much trouble. I'm  
not particularly worried about that."  
  
Akane took a drink of her own and made an unusual face as she  
looked at the mug for a moment. She swallowed and gasped for breath.  
"What is this stuff?"  
  
"Beer, It ain't palace wine, but it'll get you drunk a lot  
quicker. Try not to over do it all..." Akane looked over to the  
redhead as she trailed off suddenly.  
  
"What is it?" said Akane with a frown.  
  
"Shit," muttered Ranma as she pulled her up forcefully and into  
the crowd.  
  
"What are you doing?" said Akane angrily. She would have screamed  
the words if not for the look on the elf girl's face.  
  
"Kuno is here," snapped the redhead as she ducked behind one of  
the wagons that surrounded the camp.  
  
"He's found us?" said Akane in shock.  
  
"I don't think so," said the pigtailed girl as she eyed the  
approaching noble cautiously. Kuno was speaking with one of the gypsy  
men, just on the edge of the camp. "He probably gave up a little  
sooner than expected, that's all."  
  
"How do you know?" snapped Akane.  
  
"He's just asking for a place to stay," said Ranma as she turned  
to wink at her.  
  
"We should leave then," said the knight firmly.  
  
"No, I don't think that'd be a good idea. Your two friends are  
relatively human now. Things could get messy real fast. Gypsies don't  
like beast men," said Ranma coolly.  
  
"What are you planning?" said Akane coolly.  
  
"A distraction, hopefully good enough to get them off our back for  
a long time," said the pigtailed elf as she smirked in the darkness.  
"Come on." She pulled on Akane's arm and dragged the knight deeper  
into the camp.  
  
+++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: Lime and Mint's dream realized at last?  
  
  



	16. The Dragon and The Ghost[Part 16]

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part 16  
  
The way to a beast man's heart...  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"What?" hissed Akane in shock as she looked at what was in hands.  
  
"I said put it on," said Ranma calmly as she undressed herself.  
  
"I won't!" snapped Akane with anger in her eyes.  
  
"Come on, don't tell me you're scared of a little outfit like  
that," said Ranma teasingly.  
  
"This isn't an outfit! It's lingerie!" snapped Akane angrily.  
  
Ranma blinked and smiled at her for a moment. "Look, you can stand  
here if you want, but I'm going to get out of here. I've got to get  
back with the others soon, and I don't want these idiots following us  
still." She stood and looked herself over for a moment. It was a thin  
material that hid nothing from view. The only cover was a tight thong  
under the veil like pants. A small see-through vest, which buttoned in  
the front, also hid nothing from view.  
  
"I can't believe this," grumbled Akane as she stared at the cloth  
in dismay.  
  
"Don't tell me you've never used your wiles to get your own way  
before," said Ranma with a chuckle.  
  
"Not once," snapped Akane in retort. "Certainly not in a fashion  
as brazen as this!"  
  
"Well you should, you have no idea how much fun it is," said Ranma  
with a small wink. The redheaded elf was currently placing a veil over  
her face as well. Her outfit was bright orange, making her stand out  
even more. The one Akane was holding was a lavender color.  
  
"Is this a man or not?" snapped Akane as she watched her sneak  
towards the party again. Finally, she clenched her fists, and blushed  
heavily as she began to disrobe.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"Hello, my. Why are you dressed like that young lady? Out looking  
for a lover? You are aware of what dance those are for?" said the  
elder in shock as Ranma walked up to him with a smirk on her face. The  
man was standing on the outskirts of the nightly party, watching  
intently. The redheaded elf, was covered in a blanket that was draped  
over her shoulders.  
  
"No, unfortunately for you, I'm not. This is part of my  
distraction plan," said Ranma with a small chuckle.  
  
"Distraction?" asked the Gypsy cautiously.  
  
"Yes, the man you took in, is a minor noble of the Emperor. He's  
the one we're trying to avoid," said the elf calmly.  
  
"Then you should leave," said the man with a small frown.  
  
"Hardly. I couldn't leave your little village to the mercy of him  
and his two beast-men," said the redhead with a cold smile.  
  
"Beast-men?" The elder went pail as he looked over at the traveler  
and his two companions, looking at the pair on either side of Kuno, it  
was now obvious to him that she was right. "How could I not see it?"  
  
"Easy, a simple spell that tells you not to notice," replied Ranma  
as she watched them with him. "They appear to be ogling your women as  
well. How quaint."  
  
"What is it that you want?" snapped the man angrily as he glared  
at the things that sat within his friends and family. No one seemed  
even slightly aware of them.  
  
"We can take care of them, quietly, for a hundred pieces of  
silver," said Ranma with a smirk. "You just have to move on as soon as  
we come back. It won't do for you to be found too near the bodies."  
  
"Right," muttered the man as he glanced at her nervously. "You're  
robbing me blind you know."  
  
Ranma giggled with a strange look in her eyes. "Don't pretend to  
be so ignorant. I could easily ask that much in gold for a single  
beast-man. I just find silver to be strangely appropriate." She turned  
her head, and saw Akane stalking towards her angrily. She was dressed  
in the outfit.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," said Akane bitterly.  
  
"Right," said Ranma with a small smirk as she glanced back at her  
companion for a moment.  
  
"What are you looking at?" snapped Akane bitterly as she covered  
her chest.  
  
Ranma chuckled and looked at the elder for a moment. "We're going  
to need the help of some of your young women."  
  
"Are you sure she's up to this? Your friend doesn't appear to be  
very enthusiastic about this," commented the elder.  
  
"Trust me," said Ranma with her smirk returning again. She turned  
towards Akane and handed her a length of rope. "Hide this behind your  
back..."  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Tatewaki Kuno sat watching the festivities around him lazily. "How  
quaint, the commoners are quite...colorful," said Kuno with a slight  
raising of his eyebrow. One of the drunker men became violently sick  
in the dirt a few yards away.  
  
"Lord Kuno, can we try and talk to some girls?" said Mint with a  
nervous twitch forming in his eyes.  
  
"Are you not a bit young for such things?" commented Kuno in  
surprise.  
  
"We've never seen girls like these before," said Lime in  
agreement. The women were almost as drunk as the men, and were hanging  
off of their chosen men, and in some cases, one another, rather  
passionately.  
  
Kuno chuckled slightly. "Go, spread the seed of the nobility. I  
may choose to give some young maiden the honor of my time as well."  
  
Lime and Mint's jaws dropped like lead weights. No one had ever  
given them permission before, not even Herb. Tears of joy formed in  
their eyes for a moment, and they stood up to rush away.  
  
That is, until the crowd parted in front of them, revealing a  
small group of younger girls. Most of them in their mid to late,  
teens. They formed a messy looking group in front of a bonfire,  
spreading out to reveal two very scantily clad women, who were eyeing  
them directly.  
  
"Woah!" said one of the younger men nearby to Kuno. "I never  
thought this'd happen tonight!"  
  
"What is going on here?" said Kuno as he turned towards the man  
for a moment.  
  
"Well, those two girls in the middle. They're signaling to the  
whole camp that they're ready to lose their virginity. It's a sort of  
tradition, they'll choose the man they wish to couple with tonight."  
  
"Pardon? This is some sort of marriage ceremony?" said Kuno with a  
slight frown.  
  
"No, not marriage. Lust! Passion! We're gypsies remember?" said  
the man with a small snort of laughter. "The girls can choose married  
men if they wish. Any man she chooses is obligated to spend his  
evening with her. After that, they usually go their separate ways.  
Marriages that happen because of this are very rare."  
  
"Ah, I see," said Kuno with a nod. "No doubt they were smitten by  
my noble personage, and sought to bed me upon gazing on my handsome  
face. I shall give them a night they shall cherish forever!"  
  
"Hey...Mint...you can see...their..." muttered Lime as he stared.  
  
"T-t-titties!" stammered Mint.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma and Akane glared at their targets calmly. "You take the  
younger one, Wolf-boy," said the elf girl.  
  
"Right, what am I supposed to do? I can't dance," said Akane with  
a frown.  
  
"Follow my lead and don't worry, you're dressed so skimpily that  
none of the men will care," said Ranma firmly.  
  
"That's supposed to make me feel better?" snorted Akane.  
  
"Focus on the target. It's how I got through this the first time I  
had to do something this way," said Ranma in reply. Her tone was  
serious, all business, once again.  
  
"All right," agreed Akane, slightly comforted by the attitude  
change.  
  
The music started, a few drums accompanied by flutes, and low  
sounding wind instruments.  
  
Both girls began to move slowly, curving their arms up and down  
their bodies as they writhed like serpents to the music. Ranma was  
moving gracefully, lightly. Akane was moving much slower, but still  
managed to keep a rather quiet grace about her. It was clear that all  
attention was focused on the redhead, and at the moment, that suited  
her fine. Akane focused her attention on copying Ranma, hoping for the  
situation to end soon.  
  
Suddenly, Akane felt a slight daze overcoming her. It was slow,  
and crept up on her cautiously. She felt her eyes glaze over, and  
staggered for a moment, her head lolling around as if she was in a  
drunken state.  
  
Ranma paused nearby, still staying with the music, swaying her  
hips and moving her belly slowly. Her arms moved up and down her body  
as Akane walked up next to her, and began to move in perfect unison.  
  
Slowly, the music began to build up tempo. Both of the women moved  
faster, writhing like sirens, their hands moving up and down each  
other's bodies, and reaching out to the trio of men who sat  
dumbfounded, directly in front of them.  
  
The music climaxed, bursting into an insane speed. Ranma and Akane  
spun around violently, whipping their hair through the air, their  
bodies shaking violently as they moved ever closer to the trio.  
Finally, the music stopped in an instant, and both girls fell to the  
ground in a kneeling bow. Right in front of Lime and Mint.  
  
"Huh?" was the unanimous reply to this from both of them.  
  
"Oh, how noble I am! That they have both chosen to lose themselves  
to me!" said Kuno with tears in his eyes. He was sitting directly  
between both beast-men.  
  
Lime and Mint almost sighed with relief, it certainly made more  
sense than the pair choosing them. That is, until the girls stood up,  
and grabbed their hands.  
  
"Come with us," they said in unison. "Come."  
  
"Heh heh," said Lime nervously.  
  
"Who? Us?" agreed Mint with a huge blush on his face.  
  
"Hold! Did I give you permission to take these women! You shall  
have them after I have given them the honor of..." Kuno was promptly  
silenced as both girls slammed their fists into his face, moving as  
one.  
  
"Hey. I like these girls," said Mint as he watched the unfortunate  
noble slump to the ground. He allowed himself to be led away by the  
dark haired girl.  
  
Akane spared Ranma a dark glare for a moment. As she hit Kuno, the  
haze in her eyes seemed to clear finally.  
  
The redhead was smirking at her, and gave a small wink as she lead  
the tiger-boy away into the woods.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"What are we doing out here?" said Lime nervously as he looked  
around. "Hey, can I touch that?" he said as he pointed at her breast.  
"I've always wanted to touch one of those..."  
  
Ranma frowned as he reached out and grabbed her. "This is far  
enough," she thought as she pushed him against a tree, while seeming  
to jump into his arms. "Oh! Be gentle with me!"  
  
Lime's instinct began to take over, and Ranma felt the fur  
starting to grow across the man's chest. He growled and shifted  
forward as if to grab her, his movement was stopped by some unseen  
force. The redhead jumped back, pulling the veil from her face as she  
did so.  
  
"Well, well, look what I've caught!" said the elf coolly.  
  
"What? You!" snarled Lime angrily. He pulled at the ropes that had  
appeared around his torso somehow. "I'll kill you!" snarled the tiger-  
man as he struggled.  
  
"I wouldn't do that, those are enchanted ropes you know," said  
Ranma as she sat down.  
  
"What do you mean?" said Lime as he stopped struggling for a  
moment.  
  
"The more you struggle, the tighter they become," said Ranma with  
a small shrug. "If you struggle enough, the string of silver inside  
them will cut through the rope."  
  
That got the monster's attention. "What?"  
  
"You heard me, the only way out of that rope is for you to relax,  
and wait for someone to untie you," said the elf coolly.  
  
"I'll get you for this thief," said Lime angrily.  
  
"Calm down will ya? I'm going to keep your little knight safe for  
now, she's safer with me than at the palace."  
  
Lime looked away and snorted in disgust. He knew the elf was  
right.  
  
"You seem to like her, so I'm assuming that you don't want the  
Emperor to kill her. Right?"  
  
"Fine, go then. We won't lead Lord Kuno to you again," said Lime  
in frustration. "Not until you recover the Kajakan. Then we'll hunt  
you down, and destroy you."  
  
"Oh?" said Ranma with her eyebrow arched.  
  
"I know it was you, I was in that dungeon. My nose doesn't lie  
like my eyes and ears might," said Lime coldly.  
  
"Well, we'll see," said Ranma as she backed away into the shadows.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Lady Akane! It's you!" said Mint as he stared at the woman in  
shock. She had removed her veil and was glaring at him.  
  
"Shut up and stand against that tree," said Akane coldly.  
  
"Right!" said Mint cheerfully. "Thank you for letting me see your  
titties! They're very nice!"  
  
Akane growled as she began to wrap the rope Ranma had given her  
around him. He made a small noise as she pulled it tight for the  
comment.  
  
"You sure are nice to us!" continued the boy obliviously. "I never  
thought I'd really get to see a girl's chest! Most girls won't talk to  
us, cause of what we are! It's really hard to get a date, especially  
since Lord Herb keeps us so busy!"  
  
"Be quiet, I've got something to tell you!" said Akane angrily.  
  
Mint blushed and stared at her for a moment. "Oh! You mean you  
really do want to...?"  
  
Akane hung her head for a moment and clenched her fist in  
frustration.  
  
A moment later, a dazed looking Mint was slumped against the tree,  
being held up by the ropes around him. Several large lumps were  
visible on his head, he laughed deliriously for a moment and looked up  
at her again.  
  
She was leaning against the tree trunk and glaring at him with  
barely held back rage. "Listen carefully. I don't have much time."  
  
"Okay," said the boy sheepishly. He was watching her breast bounce  
as she breathed heavily from the exertion of beating him.  
  
"Stop looking at those and pay attention!" she snarled, giving him  
another bop on his head.  
  
"Right!" said Mint as he looked at her face again.  
  
"I have a message for you to deliver to my father. Tell him I am  
on the trail of the Kajakan, but I need more time. I have someone who  
is delivering me right to it, and I will find a way to signal once I  
find out where we are going. Understand?"  
  
"Right!" said the boy again as he nodded up and down.  
  
"Be careful with those ropes, and wait for Kuno to untie you!  
They're enchanted, and can kill you if you struggle," warned Akane as  
she walked away.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma and Akane were back in their traveling clothes once again,  
standing outside the gypsy camp as they finished loading their camp  
away. The moon hung in the sky overhead still, but morning would be  
arriving in an hour or so.  
  
"Well, we appreciate your services," said the elder with a small  
chuckle as he handed Ranma a bag of silver coins. "And the show!" he  
winked at the both of them and chuckled.  
  
Akane looked at the elf in disbelief. "What?"  
  
"One should always look for a way to get paid, even if you're  
going to do it for free anyway," said Ranma with a small wink as she  
placed half of the coins in her hand.  
  
They started walking away from the camp together, Akane was  
keeping up the rear. She was sulking again, and glaring at Ranma's  
back as she walked.  
  
"Oh what is it?" said the elf with a heavy sigh.  
  
"What did you do to me back there?" said the knight irritably.  
  
"Huh? Oh that," said Ranma with a small wave of her hand. "It's  
nothing."  
  
"You took control of my body, don't tell me it was nothing," said  
Akane angrily.  
  
"I didn't," said Ranma as she looked over her shoulder for a  
moment and chuckled.  
  
"What do you mean? Explain?" said Akane sharply.  
  
"All right, jeez. I just hypnotized you, that's all," said Ranma  
lazily.  
  
"What?" said Akane in shock.  
  
"It's a trick I learned a while back. I did a job once, where I  
had to sneak into a thieves' guild. I stole a necklace from the guild  
master. In order to do so, I hid in his harem. He used to give big  
parties, and had his girls dance for him there. I learned how to do  
that trick from a young pair of elf girls, named Ling Ling and Ran  
Ran. They were working for him at the time."  
  
"As slaves?" snorted Akane bitterly.  
  
"As prostitutes, they were paid for what they did," replied Ranma  
with a small shrug. "He was a rather nice guy for a guild master. I  
did a few jobs for him after that."  
  
"Disgusting," snorted Akane.  
  
"Better than cutting people up with a big sword for a living,"  
retorted Ranma.  
  
Akane felt a blush rise to her face. "What's that supposed to  
mean?" she snapped angrily.  
  
"It means it's all a matter of perspective. Some people would  
rather do things like that than kill, or starve in the streets,"  
replied the elf girl calmly.  
  
"Is that why you became a thief, so you wouldn't have to kill?"  
snorted Akane lazily.  
  
"No, I'm as much of a killer as you are," replied the girl. She  
continued to walk forward, not speaking again after that.  
  
+++++++++  
  
"So? Lime and Mint failed to locate the Kajakan," said Nabiki as  
she watched Herb pace back and fourth.  
  
"You know as well as I that I never intended for them to retrieve  
it," said Herb as he looked up at her.  
  
The cold smile on her lips widened somewhat. "An ingenious plan.  
Sate the Emperor's suspicions by appearing to seek out his lost  
artifact quite intently."  
  
"Yes, I'm glad you thought of it," snorted Herb lazily.  
  
"The things I do for love," said Nabiki as she wrapped her arms  
around his neck playfully.  
  
"Love of power," pointed out Herb lazily.  
  
"Yes, it is such a turn on," said the girl with a feral looking  
grin appearing on her face suddenly. "I'm hungry Herb darling, but  
since it isn't time to feast on the Emperor's power just yet."  
  
"I may have something to sate your appetite," replied Herb as he  
lifted her off her feet.  
  
Nabiki responded by biting him on the neck, which made him pause  
and let out a low growl. "Planing on letting out the beast inside  
you?" she whispered.  
  
"You would not survive that," commented Herb.  
  
"Hmm, perhaps I should find a way?" she purred. "Would that please  
you?"  
  
Herb growled again, glaring at her with his golden eyes for a long  
moment. "Perhaps I underestimated your worth Tendo."  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Well, there it is, the border," said Ryu as he pointed to a  
simple road sign ahead of them. It was sitting in the middle of a long  
dirt road that twisted through the forest on the edge of Joketsuko.  
  
The sun was high in the sky above, hidden by the occasional  
passing cloud. It was amazingly good weather, despite the chilling  
temperatures only a few miles behind them in the mountains. Even the  
types of wildlife around them had changed dramatically. Smaller  
animals were visible now, such as squirrels and different types of  
birds as well.  
  
"What an incredibly boring trip," commented Ukyo.  
  
"I'm glad it was," commented Shampoo.  
  
"Indeed," agreed Ryoga.  
  
"Aren't you ever satisfied?" said Ryu as he crossed his arms and  
looked at her.  
  
"Well, you were a lot more exciting in Morid," she said with a  
small sigh.  
  
"Whatever, let's keep going," said Shampoo lazily.  
  
"We're going to wait for Ranma," said Ryu calmly.  
  
"What?" said the rest of the group in shock.  
  
"We're going to wait for Ranma. We're much safer here, and there's  
a safe house nearby we can use." said Ryu calmly.  
  
"Oh, I get it. This is some sort of plan you two idiots have  
worked out," snorted Ryoga.  
  
"Right," said Ryu calmly. "Ranma does all of the transactions, and  
it looks weird if I show up at the end of a job. He'll be along in a  
day or two. If not, we'll go on without him."  
  
"Are you sure?" muttered Ukyo nervously.  
  
"No, but we've got a job to do, and I know how to find him if we  
don't link back up during the job," said Ryu.  
  
"Where is this safe house?" snorted Shampoo.  
  
"I'll show you, it's a cabin a few miles away from here," said Ryu  
as he led them away.  
  
++++++++++  
  
"What an incredible dump," said Ukyo as she stared at the rickety  
old wooden cabin in front of her. It was falling apart, and didn't  
look very inviting at all. "This thing must be older than Shampoo!"  
  
"Hey!" snapped the elf girl. "What the heck is that supposed to  
mean?"  
  
"Exactly what it sounds like! You hag!" snarled Ukyo in retort.  
The pair was at each other's throats in a moment, each grabbing the  
other's collar.  
  
"Ranma certainly brings out the best in women," commented Ryoga as  
he walked by Ryu.  
  
"Right," agreed the human as he opened the door. "Come on, let's  
get this cleaned up a bit. I'd rather do it before they come in here  
and start fighting over him."  
  
++++++++++  
  
Almost an hour later, Ryu emerged from the cabin and sat with a  
cup of tea in his hands. Ryoga sat down just beside him and shook his  
head in disgust.  
  
Both women were still locked in combat, each covered in dirt and  
bruises, but neither appearing to have the upper hand. They had kept  
the contest purely physical so far, and had yet to resort to weapons  
or magic. Finally, they slumped down against each other.  
  
"I'll get you next time, sugar!" gasped Ukyo.  
  
"You're a hundred years too slow to beat me!" countered Shampoo.  
  
"Hag!"  
  
"Tomboy!"  
  
"Witch!"  
  
"Man impersonator!"  
  
"That's enough damn it!" said Ryu as he walked up between them,  
pushing them away from one another with an almost casual air about  
him. "He's not even here right now. You two are impossible!" With that  
said he turned away and walked back into the cabin, followed by the  
disgusted looking Ryoga.  
  
Both girls looked at one another and blushed.  
  
"This is all your fault you know," said Ukyo.  
  
"My fault? You started this!" snapped Shampoo.  
  
+++++++  
  
Inside the cabin, Ryoga sat up and grumbled. He was lying on his  
futon and glaring at the door. "Again?"  
  
"Just ignore them, get some rest," muttered Ryu as he pulled his  
blanket a little. "They'll wear each other down eventually."  
  
++++++++++  
  
A short time later, outside the cabin, Shampoo and Ukyo were both  
lying on the ground with their hands gripped firmly around each  
other's throats. Both had their eyes closed, and were muttering  
insults under their breath as they slept.  
  
"Hussy."  
  
"Tramp."  
  
"Slut."  
  
"Bitch..."  
  
+++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: The reunion.  
  
I felt like being nice this time, and cut this one off before it  
became a cliffhanger. Oh well. Don't expect this too happen again  
anytime soon, as things are about to pick up again.  



	17. The Dragon and The Ghost[Part 17]

The Dragon and the Ghost  
  
Part 17  
  
Reunion.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"We're almost there," said Ranma with a light smirk on his face as  
he turned towards Akane.  
  
She had her arms folded across her chest and was glaring at him  
distastefully as they walked. "Good, then I can kill you."  
  
"You can try at any rate," replied the boy with a small chuckle.  
"I doubt if you're dumb enough to try, especially with the others  
around. If you aren't careful, I'm afraid I'll have to tie you up  
again."  
  
Akane growled and turned her head away.  
  
"There's a good girl," said Ranma cheerfully as he continued  
walking.  
  
A few moments later they came upon a worn looking cabin deep in  
the woods. A column of smoke rose from the rickety looking chimney.  
Ranma grinned back at Akane for a moment and walked up to the front  
door. He began to bang on it harshly.  
  
"Open up in the name of the Emperor! Come out now! You'll not  
escape!"  
  
Akane stared at him in shock for a moment as he tried not to  
giggle at the noises that started to come from inside the cabin.  
Finally, he kicked the door in and waltzed inside confidently.  
  
"Where is the Kajakan!?"  
  
Akane blinked as a blast of white light came from inside the  
cabin. Ranma sailed back out the door, and landed on his back in the  
dirt a few yards away from her. "Dolt."  
  
Ranma sat up, his body was smoking and he had a dazed look in his  
eyes. "Whoa. Kinda forgot about that damn spear."  
  
"Ranchan? Are you all right?" said Ukyo as she peered out the door  
of the cabin cautiously. A moment later, both she and Shampoo rushed  
out to his side.  
  
"Wow, you almost got yourself killed. That was pretty funny  
though," said Shampoo cheerfully as she grabbed his arm.  
  
"You jackass! What the hell were you thinking?" snapped Ukyo as  
she belted him over the head with the spear. "I could have killed  
you!" She promptly grabbed his other arm.  
  
"Ouch, my head," muttered Ranma.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing! Let my Ranchan go!" said Ukyo as she  
looked up at the elf girl opposite her.  
  
"I don't see a brand on him," replied Shampoo curtly as she  
cuddled his arm a little harder.  
  
"Look you hussy!" said Ukyo angrily.  
  
"Will you two knock it off?" said Ryu lazily as he emerged from  
the cabin with a long wrapped bundle over his shoulder.  
  
Akane snapped to life in an instant. "There it is!"  
  
"Huh?" muttered Ryu dumbly, everyone else turned and watched the  
girl as she charged him angrily.  
  
"Give that back to me you thief!" roared the girl.  
  
Ryu merely smirked and spread his feet apart for a moment. "Don't  
move!"  
  
The black knight staggered for a moment in surprise. "Huh?"  
  
It was all Ryu needed, he jumped forward, slamming into her with  
his attack. Akane was thrown across the yard of the home, and came  
down rather roughly near a pile of firewood. "What an idiot."  
  
"I warned her," commented Ranma from beside Ryu.  
  
Shampoo and Ukyo blinked in surprise as they looked at their empty  
hands. Ranma had used the distraction to escape, leaving them sitting  
alone dumbly.  
  
Akane staggered to her feet and glared at the pair bitterly.  
  
"Do we really need to tie you up again?" said Ranma calmly as he  
watched her. "If you try for the Kajakan again before we're done with  
it, I will."  
  
Akane snorted and turned her head away once again, she stood  
silently for a long moment before simply sitting down in the dust.  
  
"We'll head back tomorrow," said Ranma calmly as he walked towards  
the cabin. "The two of us have had a hard journey, we need to rest  
before we go on."  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Kiima," said Saffron as he sat on his throne in the great hall of  
the palace. Hundreds of dignitaries sat around him, silently.  
  
"Yes my lord?" said the woman as she appeared before him and bowed  
deeply.  
  
"How are the plans going?"  
  
The bird woman smirked at him. "Perfectly."  
  
"Heh, Lord Herb is unaware?"  
  
"Of course not," said the woman with a slight bow of her head.  
  
"Excellent," said Saffron with a slight chuckle. "You may leave me  
now."  
  
Kiima bowed and vanished from in front of him.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
In the shadows nearby, a lone figure stood hidden away from view.  
The long black cloak hid away all of her features. The bottom of her  
face was all that was visible, lit by a nearby torch that hung from  
the wall. She smiled lightly, her lips painted with a dark purple  
lipstick. "Most interesting," she commented just before she melted  
away into the darkness.  
  
++++++++++  
  
Late the next day, the party finally stood overlooking the forest.  
  
"It's over," said Ranma with a heavy sigh as he looked out over  
the treetops.  
  
Akane frowned and looked down at the forest for a moment. She said  
nothing, but her thoughts were much darker. "No, it has only begun."  
  
"Come on, let's get this over with," said Ryu as he started  
forward.  
  
Ryoga grunted dwarfishly in agreement and started to follow after  
the group, or so he thought. "Eh! Where'd ya go?"  
  
Ranma pulled on his hear as he dumped a flask of water over his  
head, changing instantly. She then shook off the water and forced the  
dwarf in the right direction.  
  
Ukyo frowned as she looked over at Akane for a moment. "What are  
you planning Ranchan?" she muttered under her breath. The boy had made  
no attempt to hide where they were going. He had practically led the  
Emperor to the elven village personally if she was allowed to live  
now.  
  
Suddenly Ranma stopped cold and looked at the forest silently for  
a long moment. Ryu moved up beside him with a scowl on his face.  
  
"What is it?" asked Shampoo in confusion. She looked over at the  
forest in confusion. A huge flock of birds soared into the sky above  
from the treetops. "Wow," said the elf girl in wonder as she watched  
them sail over her head, many passed almost close enough for her to  
touch.  
  
"Ryu..." said Ranma quietly.  
  
"You too, huh?" muttered the boy in answer.  
  
"Yeah. I've got a bad feeling about this," said the redhead  
quietly as she glanced back at the group.  
  
"Let go o' me ear!" snapped Ryoga from beside Ranma, completely  
ruining the serious moment.  
  
"Oops, I forgot," said Ranma cheerfully.  
  
"Let's get going," said Ryu to the whole group.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
The village was silent, it was early evening, and the sun was  
slowly sinking below the horizon. The group walked through the empty  
streets and wandered towards the palace.  
  
"Is it always this quiet?" muttered Akane to herself as she eyed  
the area cautiously.  
  
"It's dinner time," said Shampoo with a shrug.  
  
"Let's just get this over with," said Ranma coolly as she stepped  
towards the palace. "I'd like to get paid and forget about this job."  
  
"Long overdue," agreed Ryu with a small nod.  
  
The group walked into the great tree that served as the palace.  
Shampoo moved into the lead position as they walked up to the throne  
room. Ryu handed her the Kajakan and nodded grimly.  
  
"See you guys later," muttered Ranma as she vanished into thin  
air.  
  
"What?" stammered Ryoga. "Come back coward!"  
  
"Shut up," said Ryu as he smacked the dwarf on the back of his  
head. The group opened the great doors that would lead them to  
Cologne's throne and walked into the room slowly.  
  
"Welcome," said the cold sounding voice.  
  
"What?" stammered Akane in shock as she stepped forward.  
  
Herb was sitting in the throne, lounging rather lazily as he  
watched them enter the room. "I believe you are bringing something to  
me?" He put out his hand and opened his palm as he stared at Shampoo  
calmly.  
  
"What? Who are you? What are you doing here?" said the elf girl in  
shock.  
  
"You must be the princess Shampoo, my, but you'll fetch a fine  
price," said Herb as he leaned forward and stared her dead in the  
eyes.  
  
"What have you done with the elves?" she snarled angrily.  
  
"Captured, dead, or run away. It doesn't really matter does it?"  
said Herb with a small chuckle. "Come now. You've been beaten. Give  
the Kajakan to the Ghost, and have him bring it to me."  
  
"The Ghost?" said Ryoga as he turned to look back at the doors.  
  
"Yes, I am the Spirit of the Dragon. I will take the sacred staff  
from the Ghost, and destroy the Emperor," said Herb with a mad looking  
grin forming on his face. "I will have my revenge at last, and the  
evil child will be destroyed at last. I will become emperor, and we'll  
all live better lives. Isn't that nice?"  
  
"Humph, traitor," Akane stepped forward with a dark look in her  
eyes. "I'll have your head for this."  
  
"You won't be leaving here alive I'm afraid. Take them," Herb  
waved his hand and several armor-clad figures walked out from behind  
the great wooden pillars that lined the room on both sides. The heavy  
wooden doors closed them into the room. "Thus the trap is shut. Now,  
lady Akane, you and your friends will die." Herb turned towards the  
black knights and smirked. "Kill them, but leave the human male. I  
need him alive." Herb paused, none of the men were moving. He turned  
slowly and saw a strange white glow surrounding the elf girl.  
  
"Shampoo, now," whispered Ukyo from behind the elf.  
  
The purple haired elf stepped aside, and Herb's eyes went wide as  
he found himself staring down the knight's spear, and the ball of  
white energy that was collecting on its tip.  
  
"You talk too much," said Ukyo as she finally released the power  
on him.  
  
"No!" whispered the man as he stepped back. The energy slammed  
into him, creating a blinding flash of light. The throne was vaporized  
in an instant, along with any portion of the wall and floor that the  
blast had touched. A huge pile of ash was all that remained when the  
light faded away.  
  
Akane was in motion before the blast struck home. She rushed  
towards the nearest knight, slamming into him with a side kick that  
dented his armor inward as she grabbed at the sword that hung from his  
side. In an instant she was standing at the ready with her blade.  
"Now, which among you wishes to challenge my authority as Lady of the  
Black Knights?"  
  
The men stepped back away from her, giving her a wide area of  
clearance. She slowly turned and smiled grimly at the small party.  
"Well? We'd best leave before he wakes up."  
  
"What?" said Ryoga in surprise.  
  
"These cowards are not my knights," said Akane as she looked at  
the armor clad men, who were still standing around in shock. "They  
would turn on me in an instant. I'm smart enough to realize my  
position is still unfavorable at the moment."  
  
"What do you mean wakes up? I vaporized that bastard!" snarled  
Ukyo.  
  
At that moment, the smoking pile of ash began to rise from the  
floor slowly as something began to grow from within it. Two glowing  
red eyes appeared as a head became clearly visible, rows of small  
horns began to push out from around the face, as the ash began to pour  
away from the thing. It was clearly inhuman and very pissed off. It  
grew larger and larger with each passing moment, until it was easily  
thirty meter's long.  
  
"No way!" said Ukyo as she stepped back.  
  
"Shit," muttered Ryu.  
  
"He was a beast-man," said Ryoga as he began to back away as well.  
  
"No..." said Shampoo in horror.  
  
The dragon roared, rearing its head back to reveal the golden  
scales under its belly. It's roar was cut short as a figure appeared  
out of nowhere and slammed into the thing's head, sending it crashing  
into the floor.  
  
"Took you long enough damn it!" snapped Ryu as he started running  
towards the doors after Ranma. The elf girl had landed in a sprint,  
and was already charging towards the dumbstruck knights who were in  
front of them.  
  
"You looked like you were handling it!" snapped the redhead in  
retort as she took out the two men who were directly in their path.  
  
Ryu simply charged forward, slamming the doors open easily despite  
their size and weight.  
  
"Now what?" cried Ukyo as she stopped just behind them as they  
paused for a moment in the hall.  
  
"We run," said Ranma as she looked back and saw the dragon was  
slowly regaining its senses.  
  
Shampoo rushed up to them, dragging Ryoga at her side. "Follow  
me!" she said as she turned down the hall.  
  
"That's not the way out!" snarled Akane as she backed out of the  
throne room. Herb was looking directly at her now, and she had her  
sword held at the ready.  
  
"We can't go the way we came. He'd have hidden guards in every  
elven home, just in case we escaped," said Ranma as she started after  
Shampoo.  
  
The entire group moved after Shampoo as she led them up the  
stairs.  
  
"Where are we going?" snapped Akane as an angry roar sounded a  
short distance behind them.  
  
"Secret passage," said Shampoo as she tugged Ryoga's arm  
violently. The dwarf was running too hard too speak at the moment, in  
order to prevent Shampoo from lifting him off the ground and pulling  
him through the air.  
  
"Great," muttered Ryu as he followed. "What if they found it all  
ready?"  
  
"We're screwed," said the elf calmly as she turned up a stairwell.  
  
"Where is this passage?" said Ranma with a strange calmness on her  
face.  
  
"At the top of the palace," said Shampoo.  
  
"Um, guys?" cried Ukyo as she ran.  
  
"That's about fifteen floors from here," said Ranma with a small  
nod.  
  
"Faster guys," said Ukyo as she pushed herself a little harder.  
  
"Right," agreed Shampoo.  
  
"Move it!" screamed Ukyo.  
  
The wall below them seemed to explode as the dragon rushed up the  
stairs at an insane rate of speed. It roared angrily as it charged,  
carving up sections of wall as its bulky form scraped against the  
narrow passageway. Tables and tapestries that dotted the stairway on  
each floor were shattered as it barreled after them, slowing it  
slightly.  
  
"Shit!" snorted Ranma as she rushed forward, leading the group at  
a much faster pace.  
  
Herb snarled angrily as it slammed into another table behind them,  
he stumbled for a moment and shook his head before charging forward  
again. Ash still dirtied his sliver and gold skin, and his eyes seemed  
to burn brighter with his anger as he slithered down the passageway  
after them. His huge wings tore through the wall as if it was paper as  
he flexed them angrily.  
  
"He's slowing down!" said Shampoo.  
  
"Then run faster!" cried Ukyo as she shoved at the girl's back,  
forcing her to move a little more.  
  
"What?" said Shampoo. Her protest were quickly silenced as a  
golden light tore through the stairwell and through it, blasting a  
hole through the building and into the air outside.  
  
Herb closed his mouth and glared up at the still retreating party.  
He snorted in disgust and continued to move up the stairs after them.  
  
"There's the top floor!" cried Ranma as he pushed himself through  
the last door at the top of the stairs. "Get your ass up here  
Shampoo!"  
  
"Coming!" snapped the elf as she rushed by, followed by the rest  
of the group.  
  
Herb's head appeared behind them, snapping angrily and barely  
missing them. The beast's head pulled back out of the room for a  
moment as Ranma ducked into the next room with the others.  
  
"Here!" said Shampoo as she opened the floor in the middle of the  
room.  
  
"This isn't a passage! It's a hole!" snapped Ukyo as she peered  
into the endless void that stared back at her.  
  
"Jump or die! It's your choice!" snapped the elf as she vanished  
into the darkness below.  
  
"Go!" snapped Ranma as she appeared in the room.  
  
Akane was the next to jump, she scowled at them for a moment  
before Ryu shoved her in all the way, and followed after her.  
  
"I'm gettin to old for this," muttered Ryoga as he looked at the  
pair for a moment. He then vanished as well.  
  
"Go!" snapped Ranma.  
  
"But..." said Ukyo with terror in her eyes.  
  
"Do it!" snapped Ranma.  
  
"Oh shit!" gasped Ukyo as she glanced behind the redhead.  
  
Walking up to them with a slowly quickening pace, was the ugliest  
creature she had ever seen. It was a scaled man, with the head of a  
dragon. A small crown of horns lined his face and he glared at them,  
drool dripped from his chin as he worked his jaws open and closed. His  
claws worked as he stared at them angrily, and his body began to glow.  
"Die!" it cried as it stopped in the doorway and raised its claws into  
the sky.  
  
"No!" screamed Ukyo as she found herself shoved into the hole.  
Then, there was a flash of light. She screamed as the golden energy  
threatened to overtake her, even as she fell. Finally, there was only  
blackness.  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Nabiki Tendo frowned as she looked into the mirror. "What is he  
doing?" she muttered.  
  
The image shifted, and the top of the largest tree in the forest  
suddenly became nothing more than a golden flash of light. It vanished  
slowly, revealing nothing but a single figure floating in the air  
where the center of the blast had originated.  
  
"That idiot killed them," snorted the girl irritably. She waved  
her hand for a moment over the surface of the mirror and seemed to  
relax slightly. "No, he failed. At least a few of them are still  
alive."  
  
She watched the beast-man change back into the dragon once again as it  
began to circle the area in frustration. "Well, it seems you've lost  
them again darling." She smirked and watched him search for a moment.  
"Too bad, I never expected that...heh."  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
Ukyo Kuonji slowly opened her eyes and sat up. There was a thin  
sheet covering her body and every part of her seemed to ache. She was  
lying on some kind of wooden bed, and was alone in the darkness.  
"Ouch. What happened to us? Ranchan?" She glanced around, searching  
for her beloved for a moment.  
  
"You're awake," said a voice to her gently.  
  
Ukyo turned and saw the most shriveled looking creature she had  
ever seen staring back at her.  
  
"Gah! A troll!" she cried as she pulled the sheet up to cover  
herself. Somewhere along the line, her armor had been removed, along  
with her clothes. Cologne, the elder of the elves, promptly hit her  
over the head with her staff.  
  
"I told you you'd scare her," said a familiar voice in the  
darkness. Shampoo walked up and sat down next to the table. "Relax  
Kuonji, we're all ladies here."  
  
"Huh? Wha? Where am I? What's going on?" said the knight in  
confusion.  
  
"This is the secret escape route of our tribe," said Shampoo with  
a small shrug. "It was an old dwarven mine, but we drove the creatures  
off many centuries ago, and saved our forest from them. We now use the  
caverns as a shelter in time of need."  
  
Ukyo nodded and hung her head. "Ranchan? Where is he?"  
  
"You mean that Kumon boy?" said Cologne with a small chuckle.  
  
"Ryu?" said Ukyo with a look of disgust on her face.  
  
"Surely you don't mean that disgusting little dwarf?" said Cologne  
in shock.  
  
Ukyo went completely pale. "No!"  
  
Shampoo shook her head and put her finger to her lips with a scowl  
on her face for a moment from behind the old woman's back.  
  
"Never mind," muttered Ukyo as she gave Shampoo a distrusting  
frown.  
  
"Very well, I shall leave you to rest now," said Cologne as she  
noticed the silent battle of wills between the two girls. She hopped  
away, leaving the pair in silence.  
  
"Where is Ranma?"  
  
"Right over there," said Shampoo as she raised her hand. A ball of  
light formed and rose into the air, giving the room a soft glow. The  
red-haired elf was lying on a table a few yards away, still sleeping.  
  
Ukyo stood up to go to her, throwing the sheet aside despite her  
nudity. She paused as a hand fell on her shoulder.  
  
"There is time for that later, he needs rest first," Shampoo  
smiled at her and nodded gently.  
  
Both girls froze as a new figure entered the room, taking Shampoo  
into his arms. "Shampoo! You have returned to me at last!"  
  
Ukyo froze, staring at the newcomer in shocked horror.  
  
"Oh my darling Shampoo! I heard about your return, and had to come  
see you at once! At last we can be together!"  
  
"Mousse, what the hell are you doing here?" said Shampoo in shock.  
  
"Visiting you, of course!" replied the boy cheerfully. He turned  
and adjusted his glasses as he noticed Ukyo standing there beside him.  
"Oh, hello. Who are you?"  
  
Ukyo screamed, punching him dead in the face and grabbing the  
sheet to cover herself at the same time.  
  
Mousse sailed through the air, coming down hard just outside the  
doorway.  
  
Shampoo smirked and looked at Ukyo for a moment. "Nice distance."  
  
"Pervert!" screeched Ukyo as she continued to glare at the  
confused looking boy who was lying on his back just outside the room.  
  
Shampoo walked over to the door and frowned at him. "Stay out you  
idiot. This room is girls only, you pervert."  
  
Mousse blinked as she slammed the door in his face. He glanced  
around, and found himself alone in the hallway again. He stood up and  
dusted himself off. He removed his glasses and tucked them inside his  
sleeve, as he calmly walked away with a strange smirk on his face.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"So, now what?" said Ryu as he sat across from Ryoga calmly. The  
pair was waiting in a small room with a fireplace. The room itself was  
rather well furnished, books lined the walls, and there was a small  
table in the corner. The both of them were sitting in the lounge  
chairs, with drinks in their hands just in front of the fireplace.  
  
"We still haven't been paid," snorted the dwarf impatiently.  
  
"That will come in time," said an unfamiliar voice. The pair  
turned and found an old woman balancing precariously on the end of her  
staff. "Once your partner wakes up, we have business to discuss."  
  
"Right," agreed Ryu with a small frown.  
  
"Well, here's to a job well done," said Ryoga with a chuckle.  
  
"Indeed," said Cologne with a small frown.  
  
"Not as well as I would have liked, but we've completed the terms  
of the contract," said Ryu with a small frown. "We'll take the money  
and leave, the Kajakan, and all it's problems are yours now old  
woman."  
  
"Indeed," agreed Cologne as she watched him for a moment  
cautiously. "It makes one wonder how they found out though?"  
  
"Shampoo, Ranma, and myself were the only ones who knew our final  
destination," said Ryu calmly. "Not even the knights knew."  
  
"Interesting, how did they find out?" said Cologne as she hopped  
up and poked at the fire for a moment.  
  
"A witch most likely," said Ryu with a shrug of his shoulders.  
  
"I had heard you were immune to such power," said the old woman as  
she glanced over at him.  
  
"We are, but you're not," said Ryu with a small chuckle. "In any  
case, it's no longer our problem." He sipped at his drink lazily and  
smirked at her.  
  
"Indeed," said Cologne with a small frown as she hopped away.  
"I'll leave you for now. Have Shampoo summon me once your partner  
wakes up."  
  
+++++++++++  
  
Akane Tendo sat quietly, staring at the bars in front of her  
coldly. Two guards stood on either side of her cell, watching her  
silently. She eyed them for a moment, causing them to shift  
uncomfortably as they watched her. She chuckled and shook her head for  
a moment, turning towards the wall again.  
  
+++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The Wrath of Herb!  



	18. The Dragon and The Ghost[Part 18]

The Dragon and The Ghost  
  
Part  
  
Herb's Revenge.  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Akane looked up and saw a familiar figure standing over her. Even  
in the minimal light she could make out the red tint to the elf's  
hair. "Heh, what do you want?"  
  
"You can go now," said Ranma as she removed the chains from her  
arms and legs and stepped back.  
  
Akane froze, and stared at her for a moment wordlessly. "What?"  
  
"There's no point in keeping you any longer, I can get to what I  
need because Herb has conquered the entire country. Killing you too  
keep the secret of who has the Kajakan is pointless, and by the time  
you tell anyone where this place is, we'll be long gone."  
  
"What of the Kajakan?" said Akane coldly as she glared at him.  
  
"It's no concern of mine anymore," said the elf with a shrug. She  
sat down across from her and smirked. "The old woman paid us, and now  
we're leaving."  
  
"So, you're just going to let me go?" said the knight with a dead  
calm in her voice.  
  
"That's right. How you escape is your own business," replied Ranma  
as she stood up. "See ya." She walked out of her cell and left the  
door open.  
  
Akane stood up slowly, and walked out after he had rounded the  
corner. She flexed her fists for a moment with a confused looking  
frown on her face. "Now what?" The problem was, she didn't have an  
answer. Returning home was suicide, and she had no desire to live the  
rest of her life as a fugitive. "Damn it."  
  
++++++++++  
  
Ranma paused as she entered a small room just outside the prison.  
She smiled and turned to face the figure hidden in the shadows behind  
him. "What is it?"  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" said Mousse as he faded out of  
the shadows.  
  
"She's my prisoner, I'll do what I like with her," snorted the elf  
as she continued walking.  
  
Mousse was in front of her in an instant, Ranma paused, her face  
as calm as ever. "Is there something wrong?"  
  
"She's going to lead them right too us," said the elf boy angrily.  
  
"You aren't really dumb enough to stay holed up in here are you?"  
said Ranma with a small chuckle. "You won't live another week if you  
try that."  
  
Mousse growled and stepped back slightly.  
  
"You know I'm right, these aren't dwarven tunnels," said Ranma as  
she glanced around at the walls surrounding them for a moment.  
  
"They were," said Mousse carefully.  
  
"Maybe originally, but I recognize some of the work on the  
supports. Only drow are this articulate when building supports.  
Dwarves wouldn't carve runes on these posts." Ranma ran her hand along  
the surface of one of the wooden planks that supported the walls and  
tunnels.  
  
Mousse frowned and growled. "What would you know?"  
  
"Don't worry about it dark boy, if you keep my secret, I'll keep  
yours," said Ranma coldly as he stared the boy down for a moment.  
  
"What?" muttered Mousse as he staggered back away from the girl.  
  
"Playing blind to keep the suspicious away? A good way too hide  
your sensitive eyes under those thick glasses. Plus the added bonus of  
an excuse for not being able to see well in the light." Ranma turned  
the corner and left him standing there. "I suggest you let her pass  
you without any resistance," she said as she vanished from view.  
  
"You! Come back here!" roared Mousse as he pulled a sword from his  
robes and dashed around the corner after her. When he got there, he  
saw nothing. His entire body was shaking as he stood alone in the  
hall. He dropped the sword and let it clatter to the ground noisily,  
grasping the sides of his head as he fell too his knees. "Shampoo..."  
If she ever found out about his secret, there was no way he could ever  
find a way into her heart.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"So. You are leaving?" asked Cologne from her throne. Shampoo  
stood at her side silently. The young elf girl stood before her again  
smirking confidently as she accepted her reward.  
  
"That's right," said Ranma calmly. "We've got no reason to stay. I  
thank you for your hospitality."  
  
"You have our thanks, please do not return," said the old woman.  
  
"I've got no plans to return to this mud-hole," snorted Ryoga. He was  
cheerful though, and had a large bag of money attached to his belt.  
  
Ukyo and Ryu were silent, and stood off to the side of the room  
side by side.  
  
"Well, I won't see you again then," said Ranma as she gave a low  
bow.  
  
Shampoo's face was neutral as she stood silently beside her Great  
Grandmother. She didn't say a single word, for fear of bursting into  
tears.  
  
"Come on, let's get out of here," said Ranma as she turned away  
from the old woman.  
  
"Before something else happens," agreed Ryu calmly.  
  
Ukyo took a sympathetic glance towards Shampoo, and followed after  
the others.  
  
Up on the throne, Cologne turned towards her Great Granddaughter  
for a moment. "Child, push him from your mind."  
  
"I don't know why, but I fell for her," replied the young girl  
quietly.  
  
"It is best not to think of it. I know it is hard, but you must  
think of your station as well."  
  
"She is of noble blood," replied Shampoo calmly.  
  
"Yes child, that may be, but she is a thief, and one who is well  
known throughout the entire world. It is not something I'll wager she  
can simply push away, nor do I imagine she wishes too."  
  
"I know, but still," muttered Shampoo quietly. A single tear ran  
down her cheek.  
  
"That is enough. Our people must have an heir, you are not as free  
to choose your mate as other elves. I am sorry," snapped Cologne with  
finality in her voice.  
  
++++++++++++++  
  
Just as the group of travelers was about to exit the room, the  
doors burst open, and one of the guards rushed into the chamber.  
"Elder!"  
  
Cologne stood up suddenly and stared at him. "What is it?"  
  
"They have found us!"  
  
"How?" snapped Cologne angrily. "There is no way we should have  
been discovered so soon!"  
  
Two more men brought another one of the elders into the room. They  
were carrying her gently by her arms, and placed her on the ground  
before Cologne. She could barely stand. "I failed us."  
  
"What? Speak!" cried Cologne angrily.  
  
"A young sorceress, more powerful than I, managed to overwhelm my  
will. She broke the seal, and allowed her magic to detect us. We have  
but an hour to prepare at most."  
  
"Damn! Gather everyone together, we must escape!" said Cologne  
forcefully as she jumped down from the throne and thrust the Kajakan  
at Shampoo.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Let's go," said Ranma as she turned away from the scene and  
continued to walk through the doors.  
  
"What? We can't just let them die!" cried Ukyo.  
  
"We'll die with them if we stay," said Ryu coldly.  
  
Ukyo backed away in horror.  
  
"Knight, I hate to say this, but they are right. We can't fight,"  
agreed Ryoga calmly. "This battle belongs too the elves alone. If we  
stay, we'll just die here."  
  
"It doesn't look like they plan to fight to me," commented Ranma  
as she glanced over her shoulder for a moment. "They're going to run."  
  
"If what that guard says is true, we're going to have a hard  
enough time escaping on our own. Herb will have all the exits  
covered." said Ryu.  
  
"So how do we escape?" asked Ukyo as she seemed to finally  
understand the situation.  
  
"Easy, we take the most obvious route," said Ranma.  
  
"The main entrance?" said Ryoga dumbly.  
  
"No, Herb will come in to invade that way," said Ryu calmly. "I  
think I get it though. We'll leave through this secondary exit. Herb  
will not send many to guard that exit. He will assume that the elves  
will use the smaller escape tunnels and secret exits. He's probably  
right too."  
  
"Thief wait!" said an aged voice from behind the group.  
  
They turned to see Cologne standing behind them with Shampoo at  
her side. She tossed a small bag of money too the redhead. "Take this,  
and take Shampoo with you."  
  
Ranma blinked and looked at the woman in shock. "Huh?"  
  
"There is no time for debate. Simply do as I say," snapped Cologne  
as she bounced away.  
  
"Hey! Wait a minute!" cried Ranma as she started after her.  
  
Shampoo merely frowned at her and stood in her way, a familiar  
bundle in her arms.  
  
"Oh shit," said Ranma as she realized what it was. "Hell no! I am  
not taking that damn thing again!"  
  
"If Herb recovers the Kajakan, there is no hope for the future,"  
said Shampoo calmly.  
  
"Bloody hell," muttered Ryu angrily.  
  
"How far away is this exit?" said Ranma with a small sigh as she  
turned towards Ryu.  
  
"Huh? I thought you knew where it was," said the boy dumbly.  
  
The entire group looked at each other, one at a time. "You mean,  
none of us knows the way out of here?" said Ranma as she hung her  
head.  
  
"So, you do need me after all?" said Shampoo as she smirked and  
strolled past them. "Which exit did you want to take?"  
  
"Shampoo!" called Mousse as he rushed up to the group waving his  
arms frantically.  
  
"Mousse?" said the girl in shock. "What are you doing here? Get  
back with the others!"  
  
The boy grinned dumbly and bowed too her. "I can't! I won't leave  
you alone with these evil people!"  
  
Ranma sat down and hung her head. This was the last thing she  
needed. "Go away dark boy."  
  
Mousse became very serious. "I will not. No matter what you say."  
  
"I command you to go back," said Shampoo angrily as she pointed  
down the hall.  
  
"The doors have been sealed. I can't go back," said Mousse calmly.  
"I'm coming with you my love! At last we can be together!"  
  
Ranma decked Mousse as he latched onto her for no apparent reason.  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"He's a blind idiot, that's what," snorted Shampoo. "He says he  
loves me, but he can't tell me from a potted plant half the time."  
  
"There's no need to get..." started Ukyo.  
  
"I'm not exaggerating," said Shampoo as she cut her off.  
  
"I hate to break up this little party, but there's an angry dragon  
man coming this way with an army of soldiers," said Ryu as he stood up  
and started walking.  
  
"We can sort this mess out later," agreed Ranma.  
  
+++++++++++++  
  
Herb stood outside the entrance to the caverns with an evil smirk  
on his face. "Really Nabiki, you've outdone yourself this time." He  
was speaking to a floating ball of crystal, with Nabiki's image  
looking back at him.  
  
"Ha! That old bat was too weak and frail too hold me off!"  
  
"Indeed, we shall celebrate our victory when I return," said Herb  
as he glared at her for a moment.  
  
"Oh! I can't wait!" exclaimed Nabiki with a small wink. Her image  
faded away and the crystal floated down to Herb's waiting palm.  
  
"You have the exits covered?" said the dragon-man as he turned  
towards one of his subordinates.  
  
"Sir!" said the man with an affirmative nod.  
  
"Excellent. Begin the extraction. I want every elf inside this  
rotting hole dead."  
  
++++++++++++  
  
"Um, you know where we are, right?" said Ranma as she glanced at  
Shampoo nervously.  
  
"This way," said the girl as she touched a wall and stepped back.  
It slid open, revealing a door.  
  
"If they were strong enough to get past that old elf, I'm betting  
they were able to get a map of this place," commented Ryu.  
  
"Using secret passages won't work to our advantage," agreed Ranma.  
  
"It's not a secret door, this is a supply dump. It was just built  
this way to make it look more natural in the tunnels," said the elf as  
she stepped through.  
  
"So we're leaving through the service exit?" muttered Ukyo.  
  
"That's right," said Mousse calmly.  
  
"Whatever, let's just get out of here," said Ryoga irritably.  
  
"What's that sound?" said Ranma as she cocked her head and turned  
her gaze into the dark hallway. "Sounds like...yelling?"  
  
The group paused as Akane Tendo ran towards them in a full sprint,  
she was letting out what sounded like a battle cry as she went and  
suddenly stopped about ten meters in front of them.  
  
"What the?" muttered Ryu. He turned to look at his partner. "What  
the hell is she doing out of her cage?"  
  
"I let her go, we had no reason to hold her," said Ranma with a  
small shrug.  
  
"You!" snapped the knight angrily as she glared at them. "I'd  
rather die!" she muttered as she glanced back down the hallway. She  
seemed to consider something for a moment and cursed under her breath  
as she jogged towards them. "Wherever the hell you're going, start  
running now."  
  
"What?" said Ukyo as she started to bar the girl's way, she  
quickly reconsidered when she heard a rumbling from the passage where  
the girl had come from. "Ranchan... here they come!"  
  
"Move!" cried Ryu as he grabbed Ryoga by his collar and pulled him  
into the doorway.  
  
Ranma caught a flash of light from the torches the men were  
carrying and then stepped inside the passage Shampoo had opened. The  
door closed behind them, just as the army was about to round the  
corner.  
  
"Come on! This way!" whispered Shampoo as she waved them into an  
upward moving tunnel.  
  
Mousse suddenly stopped and looked down at his feet for a moment.  
He had managed to step into a rather fresh looking pile of green  
slime. "Shampoo, we did clear away the sandwyrms, right?"  
  
The girl paused and looked at him dumbly for a moment. "What are  
sandwyrms?"  
  
The elf boy choked for a moment and pressed his back against the  
wall in terror. The three girls stood dumbly as all the men  
immediately followed his example.  
  
"What are you idiots doing?" asked Shampoo as she started to walk  
towards them.  
  
Ranma put up his finger and she stopped in surprise. "Don't move,"  
he almost yelled. "Just stand there for a minute all right? All of  
you."  
  
"What's going on?" muttered Ukyo.  
  
"Sandwyrms?" muttered Akane in confusion, she seemed to remember  
something, and jumped back, pressing herself against the wall as well.  
"These tunnels are Drow?!"  
  
"Yes, they killed the dwarves and attacked us a long time ago.  
They were living under us in secret for almost two years," said  
Shampoo. "That was almost two hundred years ago. No one ever comes  
down here anymore."  
  
"Bloody hell, hungry sandwyrms at that," muttered Ryu angrily.  
"Ranma, we can't just stand here."  
  
"I'm thinking damn it! Everybody just stand against the wall and  
don't move," snapped the redhead. She could escape easily, but the  
others were in serious trouble. "Blind boy, got any ideas?"  
  
"These things only respond too their master," said Mousse  
nervously.  
  
"What the hell is a sandwyrm?" asked Ukyo as she glared at Ranma  
irritably.  
  
"Think a hundred foot drow watchdog, and you've got the basic  
idea," muttered the redhead fearfully. Most drow live in deep forests,  
but occasionally they use underground tunnels as well. They keep these  
things as pets when they do, and they guard their territory very  
lethally."  
  
"So, where is this thing?" said Ukyo as she looked around.  
  
"It's in the sand along the ground," said Ranma as she pointed  
down at her feet.  
  
"We haven't woken it up yet," agreed Ryu. "They can't hear or see,  
but they can feel vibrations in the sand from things like people  
walking on it."  
  
"Can they smell us?" asked Shampoo nervously.  
  
"Only if it's awake," said Ryoga. "I've killed beasts like this  
before, and it isn't pleasant. They are a plague to the southern  
mines."  
  
"So? What do we do?" muttered Ukyo.  
  
We move very carefully along the wall, drag your feet slowly and  
follow me. Stand on the wall if you can, we don't want this thing  
waking up," said Ranma as she started to move along the wall.  
  
"That's an understatement," grumbled Ryoga as he rolled his eyes  
and followed.  
  
They all shifted slowly towards the exit of the tunnel, a point of  
light far in the distance above them. "This could take a while. Let's  
hope they don't decide to send reinforcements this way." commented  
Ryu.  
  
"Shit," muttered Ranma as she paused and noticed several men  
moving towards them with torches in their grasps.  
  
"Oh great," agreed Ryu.  
  
The men were jogging merrily along, their armor clanking as they  
moved down the tunnel. There were about six of them, all dressed in  
black armor with broadswords by their sides.  
  
Akane turned her head and saw a disturbance in the sand a few  
yards behind them. "Um...we should run now."  
  
A massive head slowly began to rise from the floor, it was about  
four feet high and three feet wide. It looked like a gigantic dog  
head, with no eyes or ears. It curled its lips back and snarled as it  
sniffed the air in front of it for a moment. Finally, it let loose a  
massive bark and shot forward like a bullet.  
  
The group was running towards the soldiers carelessly now, what  
was behind them far more lethal than a few unaware men could be.  
  
"Shiiiiitttt!" cried Ryu as he rushed by the men, shoving them  
aside carelessly as he led the party through them.  
  
The men stood there dumbly for a moment and blinked as the  
adventurers passed them.  
  
"Who the hell?" it was the man's last words as the jaws of the  
sandwyrm snapped down on him and dragged him beneath the sand. He  
didn't even get the chance too scream. The other men backed away in  
horror, not noticing the new disturbance in the sand behind them.  
There were two of them this time, on heading towards them, and the  
other following behind the desperately running party.  
  
Ranma glanced back for a moment and began to push herself a bit  
harder. "There's nothing left of our guests, and we've got two more  
behind us."  
  
"More?" gasped Ukyo as she spun around and leveled her spear at  
the things. "Take this!" she snarled as she blasted a bolt of light  
into the ground. It exploded on the surface and sent a few chunks of  
stone flying around, but did nothing to stop them.  
  
"Quit fooling around and run!" cried Ranma.  
  
"The exit!" cried Ryu as he pointed forward at the cave entrance.  
  
"Go! Go! Go!" cried Ranma as she pushed Shampoo ahead of her and  
shoved everyone outside just as the beast's heads burst from the  
ground.  
  
Two long necks lashed out of the cavern, snapping at them angrily  
like angry eels. They quickly retreated back into the darkness and  
left the group panting on the ground outside.  
  
"Son of a bitch!" cried Ranma in shock as she jumped up to her  
feet. "Man that was clos..." She froze and looked around for a moment.  
"Damn it."  
  
Akane slowly rose to her feet and saw what the boy was talking  
about. The rest of the party was already standing perfectly still, as  
a huge group of black knights, almost fifty men, closed the ring  
around them. "So, this is how it ends?"  
  
"Akane?" said a familiar voice over the silent crowd of armor clad  
soldiers.  
  
"It's lady Akane!" cried another one of the knights. The rest of  
them let out a victorious cheer. "Summon Lord Tendo at once!"  
  
"Friends of yours?" asked Ryu quietly.  
  
"These are my knights," replied the girl with a vicious looking  
smirk on her face. "What are you all doing here?" she called to one of  
the nearby men.  
  
"We are under the command of Lord Tendo," said one of the men as  
he put his fist up over his heart in a salute.  
  
Akane did the same and calmly walked forward as a man in black  
armor, without a helmet rode forward on a gigantic black war-horse.  
  
"My daughter, you are safe," said Soun as he looked down at the  
girl. He jumped down off of his horse and grabbed her into a rough  
hug. "Wahhhh! My baby has come home safely!"  
  
Akane blushed and stared forward dumbly. "Daaaadd! Not in front of  
the men!"  
  
"Oh! Right," said the man as he pulled her away from his chest and  
turned to look at the group for a moment. "These ruffians, have them  
killed at once!"  
  
"Sir!" snapped one of the men as he turned to face the soldiers  
who still formed a ring around Ranma and her party.  
  
The pigtailed girl and the others prepared for a fight.  
  
"Wait!" said Akane as she stood in front of her father for a  
moment. She walked up to Shampoo and took the bundle from her arms,  
forcefully as the girl gave a small amount of resistance. She  
unwrapped it and held it high in the air. "I have recovered the  
Kajakan for the Emperor. These brave souls made that possible."  
  
Ryu looked at her in shock, while the elves and Ukyo gave her  
hateful glares. Ryoga looked pretty indifferent, and spit on the  
ground roughly, not bothering to put his axe back onto his back again.  
Ranma, had not yet moved.  
  
"So, they are too be rewarded?" said Soun as he looked the group  
up and down for a moment.  
  
"I have already collected my reward," said Ranma coldly as she  
stared at the man, her gaze locked onto him. Every muscle in her body  
was tense.  
  
"I see," said Soun as he nodded to the men. They replaced their  
weapons and dispersed.  
  
"Thief, if I see you again. I will kill you, any debt I had to you  
has been paid now," said Akane as she turned back to Ranma again.  
"When we meet again, we are enemies."  
  
Ranma merely nodded. "I know, and we will meet again."  
  
Akane turned up her nose and walked away from them. "Somebody get  
me a decent set of armor!" She called into the rows of soldiers.  
"Where are we camped?"  
  
Ranma turned back and saw the others staring at her. "Ryu, I've  
found him," said the redhead as she started walking away.  
  
"What? Are you sure?" stammered the boy as he rushed to follow.  
  
"I'd know that voice anywhere. I've heard it in my dreams for the  
last ten years of my life."  
  
"What is she talking about?" asked Shampoo as she rushed to follow  
with Ukyo and Mousse just behind her.  
  
Ryoga merely watched them go, a smirk forming on his face as they  
disappeared from view. "Well, it seems I've finally been paid. I'll  
see you around, Ranma." He turned away and walked off in a random  
direction.  
  
++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next time: The Betrayal.  
  



	19. The Dragon and the GhostPart 19

The Dragon and the Ghost.  
  
Part 19  
  
The Betrayal.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma simply remained where he was for a long moment after Akane rode off proudly. The armored men cheered victoriously around her. They would not have to hide her from the Emperor. She had foiled the fabled Dragon Ghost and returned the staff to the Empire's hands. Their ranks would celebrate that evening and probably for a few weeks after they returned home.  
  
"Ranma, we can't stay here," said Ryuu impatiently as he leaned against the wall.  
  
"They're going to throw a party on me," said Ranma calmly. "She thinks she's going to celebrate her victory. That ungrateful bitch!" He stomped his foot on the ground and twisted his heel into the dirt angrily. "Oooh! Just wait!"  
  
"Ranma?" muttered Ryuu dumbly as he stood up from his spot on the wall and stared at him. After the revelation he'd just gotten, he figured this was the farthest thing from the boy's mind at the moment.  
  
Shampoo and Mousse simply stepped back. The elf girl looked perplexed, and Mousse was simply moving back to be clear of any angry tantrum debris.  
  
"I'm going after her," said the boy as he glanced back at Ryuu.  
  
"What?" muttered the boy as he stared at him in disbelief.   
  
Ranma turned his head towards the road they had taken. "I'm going alone."  
  
"What?" growled Ryuu angrily. "Your name isn't the only one at stake here!"  
  
Ranma simply turned away from him. "There's also that other matter."  
  
Ryuu obviously didn't like what he was hearing. "So?"  
  
"Ryuu."  
  
"We've both been paid. We were hired to get her and that staff somewhere safe. You know where we can take them."  
  
"Yeah," said Ranma as he glanced back at him for a moment. "I know where it'll be safe."  
  
"I'll take her and her boyfriend there."  
  
Ranma smirked and nodded. "Right. Dump her boyfriend off before you pass the point. She's the only one we were hired to take there. I don't want to deal with that much heat right now."  
  
Shampoo looked more than a little irritated, while Mousse looked quite pleased with the idea. "He's not my boyfriend!"  
  
Ryuu nodded at Ranma and scratched the back of his head as they continued to ignore her presence. "Well, I can only get us so far."  
  
"You'll just have to hang around and wait then," replied Ranma with a small shrug. "This shouldn't take too long."  
  
"Then I'm going with you," replied Ukyo.  
  
Ranma merely raised his hand to stop her. "You're a well known soldier in a neighboring army."  
  
The girl stopped cold and worked her jaw up and down. "But..."  
  
"I'm not dealing with that kind of mess. I've been blamed for all sorts of messes before, and I don't want this one. You go with him."  
  
Ryuu shrugged his shoulders calmly. "He's my partner, he'll come back... I think."  
  
Ranma merely started walking.   
  
No one moved to follow him, but Ukyo raised her hand slightly as if she wanted to say something. "Uhhhh."  
  
He didn't here her and kept moving.  
  
"Come back safe..." she whispered to herself halfheartedly as she turned towards the rest of the group.  
  
Ryuu grumbled to himself and crossed his arms. "Why do I always get stuck sneaking around with the mob? He's the one who likes other people."  
  
"Who are you calling a mob?" grumbled Mousse irritably.   
  
"Shit," muttered Ryuu. "Come on, we got a lot of walkin ta do."  
  
"Great," sighed Shampoo. It would have been nice to stay home a bit longer after the last trip she had taken. Boy, had that ever sucked. Getting a little of her natural essence back from being in nature had been nice and all, but the amount of near death experiences she'd had was quite disturbing. She knew herself to be a strong warrior, but this was a little much for a noble elf. She could beat any man one on one, or even a good sized group of the soldiers in the palace, but being chased by an army of goblins was quite a bit different. She had a funny feeling she was in for more of the same this time around.   
  
Mousse smirked as he walked up beside her with both his eyes closed as he strolled up to her side. "You're the one who always wanted an adventure. Don't start looking down now that you've finally gotten your wish."  
  
Shampoo glared at him irritably. "It was fun until you came along."  
  
Mousse burst into tears and fell on his knees in front of her in a pleading posture. "Don't say that Shampoo! I will do anything to maximize the amount of fun to be had for you!"  
  
Ryuu slammed his fist into the tree next to him and it creaked loudly to the ground. It wasn't a very large tree, only about a foot around and ten feet tall. He wiped his chin with the back of his hand and glanced around, now certain he had everyone's attention. "That's enough. Need I remind anyone else that we are in the middle of the Empire's army? So if you don't mind, I'd like to start walking." He turned and started a slow steady pace down the opposite road that Ranma had taken. "He's the sneaky one, I'm the one who su...isn't as good at that stuff. So I get to take large groups of people where I really need all the stealth I can muster just to keep my own ass alive."  
  
"Where are we going?" grumbled Mousse.  
  
"It's a secret," replied Ryuu stonily from the front of the group. Everyone had quickly followed his example and trailed in a loose group behind him. Ukyo and Shampoo were scanning the tree line on either side of Mousse.   
  
"Great," grumbled the elf as he pushed his glasses up his nose.  
  
"Mousse, quit complaining and watch the rear," replied Ryuu as he picked up the pace a little.   
  
The elf growled under his breath and moved back from between the two girls.   
  
"Are you kidding? Mousse can't see anything that's more than an inch away from his face."  
  
Ryuu continued walking calmly. "He can see fine for what he needs to do. Those eyes of his are super sensitive, he can't see much clearly right now, but anything that moves he'll spot long before we do."  
  
"What?" muttered Shampoo as she turned to look at him.  
  
He continued walking backwards, keeping himself from stumbling by the sounds of their footfalls behind him. "It's just the medical term for why I can't see well. He's right, how do you think I managed to get a job at the palace as a guard? I wasn't born into it you know, you still have to earn the right to serve."  
  
"What do you mean you weren't born into it? You've been annoying me since we were children!"  
  
Ryuu chuckled at this. "Oh, I get it. You still don't understand? I thought you were an elf noble or something?"  
  
"Elven," replied Mousse. "She is the ruler of a group of us."  
  
"Where do you get off correctin me?" replied Ryuu calmly.  
  
"Mousse is right, and stop fighting," snapped Shampoo.  
  
"Way I figure it, they figured out what was wrong with his eyes, and knew what it could mean for them if he was trained as a guard. So they started training him right away, and put him the important position of guarding you. See, he can see stuff we usually don't notice, but he can't really focus his eyes on anything in particular. At least, not right now."  
  
Mousse looked infuriated, but no one could see the look on his face. He remained silent as they walked on behind him.   
  
Shampoo looked slightly impressed, but also like she had no idea what half of what he said meant. "You're some kind of doctor?"  
  
Ryuu snorted slightly at this. "In my profession, sometimes you run across some interesting writings, books, and scrolls while on the job. Not all of them are sealed with magic either. There were several interesting ones concerning the Drow, and how they were different from elves physically. It was pretty interesting stuff, and it really opened my eyes about how many of them there really are. Hell, we had a wizard once who just used us to send a letter to another wizard. We never mess with anything made by those two loons anymore, but anyway, that's why thieves make such good informants and spies. It also makes it easier to talk your way out of things when someone gets suspicious. Stupid thieves never last long, but ones that look stupid are often the most dangerous." He glanced back at her as she backed away slightly. "I've teased him enough for now," thought Ryuu to himself. "He'll remember that I've got him on a short leash if I need him too."  
  
Ukyo walked up to his side and glanced back at Shampoo. The girl had noticed but didn't say anything.  
  
The knight knew trying to lower her voice so the other two couldn't hear her was pointless, so she just spit out her question. "What's with you?"  
  
"Nuthin, drop it."  
  
"No. Why are you trying to egg him on, and what about?"   
  
"It's none of your business," replied Ryuu coolly as he picked up his pace enough to move ahead of her stride.   
  
"Stop talking to him. Every time we annoy him he makes us go faster," said Shampoo.  
  
"A brisk march is too much for you?"  
  
"Don't be foolish, it's pointless to exert more energy than you need," replied the elf calmly. "It wouldn't do for us to keep pushing him and end up fighting already winded."  
  
Ukyo sighed and hung her shoulders as she continued onward.   
  
+++++++++++++  
  
"They have it!" hissed Nabiki Tendo as she frowned back at Herb. They were standing in the middle of a large tent, there were cushions and pillows around the edge of the tent, and a crystal ball floated in front of her.  
  
"Who?" replied the man calmly as he noticed the concentration on her face.  
  
"The thief has brought the staff too us!"  
  
"Are you certain?" asked Herb as he nodded slowly. The faintest hint of a dark smile had formed on his face.  
  
"Yes, the spirit must deliver it to you, he must give it too you. My sister brings it too us now with my father. Exactly as I had foreseen!"  
  
"Indeed," replied Herb as he smirked at her for a moment.  
  
"The prophecy unfolds before us! The time is now!" She paused when she noticed Herb walking away behind her. "Where are you going?" her lip was turned in a knowing smirk as she glanced back at him.  
  
"I'm going to get my staff."  
  
Nabiki turned towards her crystal and whispered quietly into it at the image of Herb. "Yes my love, go and secure my destiny!" She reared her head back and laughed coldly at the image in front of her. Soon, she could secure her destiny as High Priestess under Lord Saffron, god over the land she now stood upon. Everything would then be within her grasp. She had the knowledge of what she'd need and when the next opportunity to become a god would occur. When that happened, the secrets of absolute power would be opened up to her and her dark sight. If her plan succeeded she would become a god of gods. She looked at the crystal and watched Herb transform into a dragon. "Of course, there is always the chance, that I will not have to wait for Saffron to ascend first." She giggled and stared into the crystal deeply as he lifted off the ground and sailed into the air.  
  
  
+++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma pulled her head out of the small spring she had found down their path. The men had to tear down camp and had deliberately set up next to the spring. Getting to it was no problem for her and she faded back into the shadows. She paused for a moment and looked at the edge of the spring. She realized that taking down the camp wouldn't take long, but she had a bit of waiting to do. While she could just take the staff now, she wanted to get lord Tendo alone, or with his bitch of a daughter. He wouldn't mind that much either. She'd probably follow him around until he killed her either way. Besides, he wanted to know what she'd do if she knew what kind of man her father really was. Would she even care at all?  
  
Still, they would pretty much walk out of the forest celebrating amongst themselves as they rode, then they'd hit the open plains and it would make following them a little more difficult. It would probably take them a day or two to deliver it to whoever was in charge of the mess. Since Lord Herb was involved they'd take it directly to the Emperor.   
  
Ranma smirked as she reached out and plucked the leaves off a small plant that was growing on some of the rocks around the spring. Being a girl made it a bit easier to use because of her magic. The plant was only found in the mountainous areas of the continent, and even then it was rare and only grew in this part of the year. She'd learned about it from those two loony wizards; they were very powerful, but a bit weird. After she'd delivered their letter, which turned out to be nothing more than a single word, 'Hello,' they'd given her a couple of scrolls. All the plants on the scrolls were safe to eat, but it listed anything that wouldn't kill you, and what it did too you. It had made surviving in the wild infinitely easier, and she'd shared the knowledge with Ryuu. The both of them could live in the desert for years if they felt like it. It'd have to be some pretty heavy stuff to cause them to vanish that way though. The two old men were amusing if nothing else, they seemed to just play with everything around them, but it was mostly harmless, and often served a greater purpose.   
  
She settled down in the branch of a tree that hid her from the soldiers below under a dark canopy that allowed her to see them quite clearly. She smirked as she used a fire spell to light the cigarette she'd rolled out of the leaves and relaxed. She'd actually changed into an elf because he could use the extra senses to keep a safer distance away from them when they hit open ground. If he didn't get the staff by then, he would have to wait until their first camp and steal it then, and worry about the Tendo clan later.  
  
She puffed out smoke as she waited and watched the scene below. She had enough for a few more of them, but she figured she'd save a couple for Ryuu when she found him again. All the serious wizards frowned on its use, while the more playful ones were usually more powerful, and granted more power by the gods because of some of the stuff they did with the locals. Ranma didn't understand that much at all. Apparently the gods seemed to like people who used it. He needed only to look at himself and Ryuu to realize that. Maybe it had something to do with an unfair advantage? Even the dark ones seemed to get stronger under the influence. Most of the Goblin Lords he'd met had a longer fatter version of what he had burning between their lips at all times. The more creative black wizards often had boxes of cigar sized versions.  
  
It did have a down side though. She wasn't empowered at the moment. Following the mob that would form for a short time before Tendo would command them into ranks would be easy. Then they'd lazily trot their way out of the woods, still screaming like idiots with joy. For them, this was an important victory on more than one level. Ranma kind of felt bad that she had to ruin it for them. After she'd passed, a few of the knights had taken notice of the plant as well. They weren't using them right now though, and would have to wait until the next camp and sneak away, probably in small groups. When work was slow, hiring himself and Ryuu out as mercenaries was a good way to make a bit of travel money. They rarely had to fight in more than a few battles in one small area before they got paid and were sent on their way. They'd even joined mobs hired to find themselves for a good laugh sometimes. That hadn't happened in a while though.  
  
She grunted as she sat up and put the small butt out on the tree stump and pocketed it. Squatting on the branch she peered into the camp and realized that they were starting to straddle their horses. Tendo and Akane stood overlooking the camp the whole time, but they were always surrounded by soldiers. They now sat atop their horses and Akane had on a spare set of armor. It was little more than a chest plate, shoulder pads, knee guards, and a helmet. She also had a good-sized broadsword in her grip as well. It was polished silver, she looked down the blade carefully and put it away as she watched the men mount up.   
  
Tendo had the covered staff held like an upright spear. He waved his free arm and started riding, the men followed.  
  
Ranma giggled as she bounded over them from branch to branch.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane rode along side her father as they strode proudly through the forest around them. She had her head held high and a smirk on her face as she rode.  
  
"How did you come through all of this?" asked her father casually.  
  
"It is a long story, it is as my sister said. The Dragon Ghost was involved."  
  
"I see, the Emperor will be pleased to hear that, it will impact how the people will see the incident. Especially since he has never been foiled."  
  
"As you say," replied Akane. "Where is Lord Herb?"  
  
"We go to him now," replied Soun.  
  
"No. Lord Herb is a traitor. I heard it from his own mouth. We take the staff to the Emperor himself, and no one else."  
  
Her father nodded firmly at this. The men behind him had gone silent.  
  
Akane stared forward and jerked her head slightly to the right. "I heard something."  
  
"What?" said her father seriously.  
  
"In the woods, to our right," replied the girl.  
  
"Men?"  
  
Akane thought about it. "I don't think so. Sounded more like something big hitting the ground. A wounded animal?"  
  
"It is possible, there are wolves in these woods."  
  
"I'll go check on it, it might not be too bad. Maybe we'll have something for the fire tonight."  
  
Her father nodded and continued to ride as she moved off into the woods. Akane just simply stared at the sight in front of her. Ranma was lying on her back with a painful looking frown on her face.   
  
"Ouch."  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Akane as she pointed her sword at her.  
  
"Falling out of the trees," replied Ranma cheerfully. She sat up and brushed a few leaves out of her hair.   
  
"Stop posing, you followed us," snarled Akane.  
  
Ranma merely stared at her with a goofy looking grin on her face. "That's obvious isn't it?"  
  
"Why? Did you come to steal the staff again? Humiliate me a second time? Have you no honor at all?"  
  
"Why do ya think I've got to take it back?" replied Ranma as she stood up. Her face was calm now and she stared the girl in front of her down. "Jeez, you didn't think it would be this easy did you?"  
  
"You owe me," snarled Akane.  
  
"And you owe me," replied Ranma calmly.  
  
"The hell I do! It was all your fault I was in that mess to begin with!"  
  
"I guess you've got a point there, but that doesn't change things. I've got to take that staff back. Sorry."  
  
Akane snorted and thrust her sword forward. Ranma merely shifted aside and she stabbed it deeply into the tree behind her. She looked her directly in the face.  
  
"That's not the only reason I'm here."  
  
She gasped and staggered back falling on her rear. "What?"  
  
"I'm here to kill your father."  
  
Akane's eyes went wide, she was standing in front of her sword and she was in no position to fight. She was also standing over her and forced her to stare up to look at her.   
  
"Do you know why?" asked the elf as she narrowed her eyes at her.  
  
"I have a good idea. The noose getting a little to tight?"  
  
"Heh. Don't be absurd. I'm here to avenge my father."  
  
"Was he as much of a scoundrel as you are?" growled Akane as she searched for a way out of her situation. She knew the girl in front of her was much stronger and faster than she was. She'd been planning on changing that before they met again and then hunt her down. "I only let you go because I wanted to give you a head start. I figured I owed you that much for showing me what a bitch my sister really was."  
  
"I'll not argue with that, but no, my father was his best friend, in fact, I looked it up while I was sitting around waiting for you to pull up camp." She held a small crystal in her hand. "You'd be surprised how easy it is to do once you have a few names and how they relate to you. We're engaged."  
  
The girl stared up at him dumbly. "What?"  
  
"I am the son of Lord Genma Saotome, my father is the man who your clan betrayed in order to avoid Saffron's cleansing of the Nobles ten years ago."  
  
"Liar!" snarled Akane as she jumped to her feet. Ranma had the sword she had lost in his grip as he stepped back and let her rise to her feet. "My father is an honorable man!"  
  
"Maybe he was, once," replied Ranma calmly.   
  
Akane stepped back away from him. "I owed you a favor, but you've used it up."  
  
"You can't kill me," replied Ranma as she smirked at Akane. "I'm too good for that."  
  
"Maybe, but my father is more than a match for you," snarled the girl hatefully.  
  
"I don't think so, you see, the Saotome School of Anything Goes, is much stronger than the Tendo clan's art."  
  
Akane's jaw dropped, she fell flat on her rear again as tears started to fall from her eyes. "No..." It had all come together when Ranma named her style. Everything the Elven girl said had made sense. Saffron didn't just kill the nobles, but wiped out their entire family. Only those who married into the ones who served him during that dark time were permitted to live. Her father was single and gotten married, she assumed that was what he had done.  
  
"It's not true!" she screamed as she jumped to her feet again.  
  
Ranma dropped her sword and jumped into the air in an instant. She vanished into the treetops leaving Akane standing alone.  
  
The girl staggered back in surprise despite her emotional state. "Because I screamed?" she muttered in confusion. She didn't think anyone would be able to hear her very well from this distance. Although, her father might be growing worried enough to turn back. It probably wouldn't take very long before they came charging through the woods.  
  
That was when she heard a very familiar sound in the distance. A faint roar that she could barely make out through the trees. "Herb!" she gasped as she rushed up to her horse.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Get Lord Tendo out of here!" screamed one of the knights as he thrust his spear forward. He stood in the middle of a human wall of shields and spears that they had created in front of the creature.  
  
The remaining men formed a protective ring around the man as he was forced to charge to the right of the giant beast.  
  
Herb snarled as he flapped his wings impatiently. His head snapped down and Lord Tendo was thrown from his saddle. The monster bit a huge chunk out of the man's horse as he latched his teeth around the staff. He gulped it down greedily as the men scooped up their master and thundered away while the beast's attention was elsewhere.  
  
Ranma appeared behind the scene with a frown on her face. "Aw man. You jerk!"  
  
Akane rode up just behind her with an angry looking snarl on her face. "I'll kill that lizard!"  
  
She paused when she noticed the men were mounting up as Herb lost interest in them. He had turned away and was flapping his wings.   
  
"No you don't!" cried Ranma as she bounded forward at top speed.  
  
"What the hell is she doing?" muttered Akane as she stared at this dumbly.  
  
Ranma sailed into the air and latched onto Herb's back just between his wings. "Uh oh. This was a bad idea," she muttered nervously as the violent jerking of the dragon's body took them into the air.   
  
Herb shot forward and the scenery became a blur. Ranma struggled to hold on as the beast sailed into the air spinning like a top. They were going almost straight up. Herb snapped his neck back and nipped at Ranma almost playfully. His massive jaws just barely unable to reach the boy.   
  
"At least I picked a good spot," muttered Ranma as she struggled to hold her legs down and out of reach.  
  
Herb curled into a ball and went into free fall. Ranma looked down at the ground rushing up to her. "He wouldn't," she muttered fearfully. Herb's wings snapped out suddenly and there was a jerking halt. Ranma screamed as her arms were torn loose. She flailed about and latched onto the very tip of the dragon's tail. She flinched when the tail suddenly became much shorter in length. The elf even managed to cling too it despite the fact that it shrank in his grip.  
  
A clawed fist reached down and grabbed the back of his shirt. She found herself looking the now half man half dragon in the face. Its golden eyes blinked as it stared at her coldly. They were high in the air and Ranma swallowed as she looked down. With a jerk of its arm the dragon-man tossed Ranma into the air behind it as it seemed to gag suddenly. His throat swelled into a giant bubble as he arched his neck back. In a shower of green fluid, the staff shot out of his throat and into his waiting palm. "Soon, I will become a living god."  
  
He didn't even watch as the young elf vanished into the clouds below.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane turned to face her father with a serious frown on her face. "Where is the emperor?" She had just caught up with him and it was the first thing out of her mouth. Her horse was jerking impatiently as she kept it ready to run.  
  
"A two day ride to the north."  
  
"Herb will be there in a matter of moments," said the girl as she nodded seriously. "I'm going." She rushed forward before her father spoke again.  
  
"Be careful," muttered the man. He knew that Herb would not spare him or his family if he won.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu glared at the scene in front of him angrily.  
  
He was standing on a small cliff overlooking a large camp of soldiers. "Great."  
  
"This is the third time today," muttered Ukyo.  
  
"Guess we go around the long way," muttered Shampoo.  
  
"Damn, this could take a few days if they don't move on soon. Wonder why they're all hanging around? Most of the elves should be dead or gone by now."  
  
"Who knows?" said Ukyo with a small shrug. "Maybe they found something?"  
  
Shampoo frowned at this. "I doubt it. There shouldn't be anything of real importance in there. I would be one of the people who would know about it."  
  
Ryuu nodded at this. "Maybe someone told them to hang around for a while?"  
  
"An invasion?" gasped Ukyo.  
  
"Or backup forces for something going on nearby," said Ryuu with a short nod.  
  
"Why are we going north? We could have just gone with Ranma," grumbled Shampoo.  
  
Mousse growled slightly at this, but didn't add to the conversation.  
  
"Because that's where we're both going, he's just taking a different and more dangerous route. We should see him soon after we get there, if he's not around already."  
  
Shampoo didn't look happy with the answer and they turned into the forest again to sneak around the camp.  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
  
Herb floated down to the ground calmly as he gripped the staff in his claws. His reptilian lips were curled back as he stared at it and raised it over his head. "At long last, I shall have my revenge!" He roared as flames began to flicker around the length of the weapon. They slowly crawled down his body as he stood holding it over his head. In a matter of moments, a raging torrent of flames had surrounded his body. They died down and he transformed back into a man. His eyes were glowing with power as he started walking forward. The Tendo clan would be right behind him. He turned to face the south and smirked as he stared into the valley. "Maybe I'll keep her around for a bit before I kill her. She's amusing if nothing else." He turned and started walking towards the Emperor's camp, he wasn't in any hurry to get there now.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
It had been a day and a half since Akane Tendo started riding after Herb. She now knew that the arrogant jerk was actually walking up to the Emperor to slap him in the face. "Traitorous Dog," she growled under her breath.  
  
Her horse thundered forward, his speed seeming to mimic her rage.   
  
Something familiar caught her attention as she rushed across the open fields and hills of the country. A small group on horseback, Lord Kuno and Herb's two lackeys. The two younger morons were waving at her cheerfully as they recognized her. It was fairly obvious that they probably hadn't spoken to Herb, but that was still only probably. Plus, Kuno and his posing horse made things a bit easier to decide.  
  
Kuno's horse had its knee bent and head bowed down in a rather dramatic pose. He waited patiently for her to stop. "Akane Tendo my love, I am here to rescue you from the terrible dishonor fate has placed upon..."  
  
Akane never even slowed down. Her metal gauntlet clanged against the side of Kuno's head, sending his feathered hat sailing into the air.   
  
"Out of my way peon!"  
  
Lime and Mint both stared down at Kuno, he was lying on the ground next to his horse; who had not changed position in the slightest.  
  
"Guess she didn't have time to stop. You think the Emperor is after her now?"  
  
Mint glanced at his companion for a moment and frowned. "Probably. She seemed to know where it might be though. Maybe she'll find it before she gets killed?"  
  
"I hope so," said Lime cheerfully.  
  
"Yeah, she has nice titties," said Mint with a small sigh.  
  
Lime looked slightly irritated at this. "You're so lucky, you got to look at Lady Akane's titties."  
  
"So did you, she danced and all that remember?" countered Mint.  
  
"I guess, but you got a really good look. I mean, she was right over you right?"  
  
Mint nodded with a slightly wistful look about him. "Yeah, but she still wouldn't let me touch them."  
  
Kuno floundered on the ground suddenly and managed to roll onto his back. He sat up abruptly and had a deep frown on his face. "Come, she rides towards the Emperor's camp even now. We must deliver her message to him immediately. Then I shall ask the Emperor to give us the supreme honor of being married before him! She will no doubt be pleased with such a gesture."  
  
"Either that or you've got some weird castration fetish," replied Mint.  
  
Lime and Kuno both looked up at him in confusion. "What?"  
  
The boy blushed slightly and scratched the back of his head. "It's nothing."  
  
"Very well, we shall ride with Lady Akane to the Emperor. Once we catch up with her that is."  
  
"Right," said Lime cheerfully. He paused and looked thoughtful as they trotted lazily into the open field before them. Apparently Kuno thought that his love would surely slow down to meet him. Once he got himself excited about it, he'd run his horse into the ground to catch her if he had too. For the moment, he was still daydreaming about meeting her again. Still, a though occurred too him and he leaned towards Mint. "Hey. If he thinks Lady Akane is going to see the Emperor, why couldn't we just tell him that Lady Akane could just deliver it herself?"  
  
"Are you joking? He'd make us follow her anyway," replied the younger of the pair calmly. "Besides, it looks like she's running directly towards the Emperor's camp. Maybe she did find it? Even if she didn't, if we end up there, we might be able to dump the Great and Powerful Lord Kuno off on someone else."  
  
"Right!" said Mint cheerfully.   
  
Kuno heard only the part about himself being Great and Powerful, and cared not for the paltry musings of servants. He continued his lazy stroll while he contemplated how good his new wife would look with the new curtains in his bedroom. Besides, she would have to become the mother of his invincible legion of sons almost immediately. His virile loins were no doubt equipped for the task.   
  
"Man, is he done yet? It'll take days for him to catch up to her soon," muttered Mint irritably.  
  
"Well, she'll beat him up either way, so we can just wait until she does that and drag him to the main camp for medical attention or something."  
  
They both seemed to cheer up at this and grinned at each other cheerfully.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
The sun was an orange orb over the horizon as Herb stood looking down at the encampment from the top of a large hill just to the north of it. He peered below as he held the Kajakan firmly in his grip. A dark smirk formed on his face as he heard a faint fluttering behind him.  
  
"Kiima."  
  
"You have obtained the Emperor's staff?" she asked coolly. Her wings folded over her shoulders, forming what appeared to be a white cape around her body.   
  
"I have, and I do not intend to return it," he replied calmly. A burning power formed around his body and he turned to stare at her coldly. "I have come, to avenge the murder of my people."  
  
"And to take his throne for yourself?" asked the woman as she simply smiled at him as she returned his hard stare.  
  
"Of course. Merely an added perk, I assure you. I know you'll refuse any offer to join me, so you can go back and tell him I'm here."  
  
"He already knows you're here," replied the bird woman as she spread her wings out. "Do you honestly believe that he would spare your life if you were any danger too him? Don't be absurd. He knew all along that you would turn against him. Even with that staff you're no match for him." Kiima looked quite smug as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him confidently. "Soon he will be a god, and you will be dead."  
  
"Perhaps that is true, but you will not live to see it," snarled a voice from the shadows.   
  
Kiima whirled around angrily towards the sound. She never noticed the dark shadow that swirled around her feet. Sharp tendrils of darkness slowly crept up through the air around her. Only when they dove deep into her body did she realize they were there. She screamed in agony as blood shot out her mouth and dripped down her body. Her speared wings and arms twitched violently as she hung suspended in the air.  
  
"I never liked you anyway," said Nabiki as she seemed to melt from the darkness of the forest.  
  
Herb frowned at her and snorted. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Settling a personal score. Now she can't get in my way anymore. High Priestess of Lord Saffron indeed."  
  
"She told me Saffron knew about this."  
  
"Maybe he does know? He's the Emperor, there's any number of ways he could have found out."  
  
Herb gripped the staff a bit tighter and growled. "You have assured my victory?"  
  
"Kiima was merely spouting the praises of her chosen master. She is a powerful sorceress, but she has no sight for such things."  
  
Herb floated up into the air. "He comes."  
  
"Yes, I know," said Nabiki as she turned away and stood staring at the suspended Kiima for a moment.  
  
As Herb floated into the air, a large circle of light appeared on the ground in front of Kiima's twitching body. The darkness vanished in an instant and she fell too the ground. Nabiki smirked as a Wyvern appeared out of the circle, seeming to rise from under the ground.   
  
Saffron's sorceress's eyes stared forward, she was still alive, but barely so.  
  
Nabiki merely turned to look at the creature and chuckled. "Enjoy your dinner darling." She calmly stepped back to watch.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"We're going the wrong way," grumbled Ukyo as she glared at Ryuu.  
  
The party was holed up in a small cavern. There were entire legions of men camped all over the countryside. They had no idea there was this much of the Empire's army coming.   
  
"What the hell is this?" grumbled the boy as he stood up and stared out at the camp in front of the opening. "I've seen major campaigns before, but this? What the hell is that stupid thing you had us steal anyway?" He glared at Shampoo, Ukyo stared too, but she didn't look upset with her.   
  
"The Kajakan has a small shard of Godstone in it."  
  
Ryuu staggered back with his hand held over his chest, he was making choking sounds as he fell flat on his rear and stared at her. "You...you...you bitch! Only ten million dollars for a job involving something like that? You ripped us off!"  
  
"Well, you were given a large sum of money for this one as well. Stop complaining."  
  
"A lousy two million for another job doing the exact same thing!"  
  
"What does it matter how much the price? You've already been paid."  
  
Ryuu glared at her and finally hung his head. "You're right." He stood up and shuffled away grumbling about elves being worse than dwarves about money.  
  
Ukyo and Mousse were both staring at the princess in shock.  
  
She sighed and gripped her knees. "He needs it to ascend to godhood."  
  
"I thought you needed more than one," said Ryuu as he sat down in the dust just outside of the group.   
  
"He has several others, this one was the least guarded. While it is an important artifact, it is also the symbol of his power. He has everything he needs if he gets his hands on it again. Fortunately, there is a time limit involved. Unfortunately, that is still several months away."  
  
Ukyo didn't like the sound of that. "So what? We've got too get this thing back then right? Ranma shouldn't take too long."  
  
"If the Emperor gets his hands on it again, he won't be able to steal it without me," said Shampoo calmly. "If he returns without it, we will have to attempt it again."  
  
Ryuu didn't like the sound of that, but he knew she was right. He had is pride as well as Ranma.  
  
"So why hasn't he already done it then?" asked Ukyo. She hefted her arms over the length of her spear and let them hang from it as she walked.   
  
"He's waiting until his transformation comes. That will be the height of his power," replied Mousse. "There is an old prophecy involved as well. It says he is destined to fall at the hand of a great dragon spirit. It is said he will be vanquished by a powerful staff that the demon will possess, delivered to his hand by a powerful spirit. A new leader will rise from the battle that will be fought. The phoenix will be reborn in flames..."  
  
"What?" muttered Ryuu as he stared at the boy.  
  
"No one is sure what the last part means. It's basically been pieced together over many years from those born with the sight."  
  
"What's a phoenix?" asked Ukyo. "I've never heard of that kind of creature."  
  
"It's not surprising," replied Shampoo. "Only beings who live as long as the forests have existed really know anything about them. They're sort of birds made of fire, and they're really big and powerful, more than even a dragon."  
  
"That doesn't sound pleasant," grumbled Ryuu.   
  
"No kidding," agreed Ukyo as she stood up and walked towards the entrance. "Still, it doesn't change the fact that we're moving deeper into the camp. I'm betting if we keep going in this direction we'll end up at some sort of major command post. I've got no desire to be in that situation."  
  
"This is the shortest way to get where we're going. We aren't sure how deep in we are either," said Ryuu calmly.  
  
"So we'll take a longer safer route," replied Shampoo simply. "Ranma is the one taking the dangerous route, remember?"  
  
Ryuu sighed and clenched his fist as he stared out into the sunset. "All right. We'll start moving west then. We should get moving, we need to get as far as we can while we have cover of darkness. Who knows, we might get lucky and find our way out before daylight?"  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Herb floated in front of the setting sun. He had the Kajakan held upright at his side as he simply stared forward and waited. "Saffron."  
  
A tiny figure stood on the ground below him with a frown on his face. He appeared to be a young boy with tiny brown wings. His face was serious and calm as he stared forward at the man as if he was nothing. "Herb."  
  
"Oh, that's right. You can't even fly."  
  
The boy stared him down with a heated looking frown on his face. "You jerk!"  
  
"Come now boy. Just die quietly and I'll be quick about it."  
  
Saffron merely shook his head with a soft chuckle. "You fool. You're not the fabled Dragon. You killed him almost ten years ago."  
  
Herb frowned at this and clenched his teeth. "So, still the arrogant child."  
  
The boy laughed playfully. "You're one to talk. Still, everything is going as was foreseen."  
  
"Foreseen?" asked Herb as he pointed the staff at the boy. "Kiima does not have the gift of sight. She is..."  
  
"Ah, but Nabiki Tendo does," replied the boy calmly.  
  
Herb growled angrily. "We'll see who she favors then!" The ring on top began to spin and emitted a low hum as an orange ball of flames appeared inside the sphere that formed. He pointed the staff at the boy and snarled. "Let us make our destiny!"  
  
"So we shall," said Saffron as he tilted his head slightly.  
  
Herb screamed with rage as he let loose the magic that formed in the staff.   
  
Saffron merely stood calmly as the ball of flames engulfed him and exploded.   
  
Herb merely stood and watched the resulting dust and smoke cloud calmly. He gasped at the sound that came out of the flames that still burned in front of him.  
  
It was a child's laugh.   
  
"It can't be..."  
  
"Fool. The Kajakan cannot harm me. I am Saffron, lord of fire, elemental spirit of the flame. No fire can harm me, magic or otherwise. Soon, I will be a god."  
  
Herb growled with rage. "We'll see!" He charged forward with the staff, swinging it like an axe towards the boy.  
  
Saffron merely put up his palm and caught it calmly. "Thank you for returning my staff too me."  
  
Herb was caught completely off guard and was easily swung off the end of the staff. He hit the ground with enough force to carve a ten-foot gouge in the earth as he slid to a halt.  
  
Saffron calmly walked over to him as he lay in the earth. He took slow purposeful steps and looked down at Herb with the staff in his hand. "Too bad, you were fun to play with." He raised the staff over his head and hacked down into Herb's gut. The man screamed in pain as his skin formed into scales in an instant. His scream became a roar as Saffron pulled the staff out and turned away. "No spell will heal that wound Herb. You will die now, slowly."  
  
The creature on the ground merely stared up into the air while taking slow shallow breaths. He could not move and his body was slowly growing weaker. He could feel the burning intensity of his wound, and the blood that ran down his sides.  
  
He wasn't sure how long he was there. He simply lay in what seemed like hours of agony. A familiar figure appeared out of the shadows. Nabiki Tendo walked up and lay down with her head resting directly next to his. "Thank you for murdering Kiima for me."  
  
He did nothing and made no move to show that he had heard her.   
  
"I'm going to bear your child. He will be the true chosen one, and will take the throne from Lord Saffron one day. I thought you might like to know. My magic will grant him the staff of power, and he will be the true embodiment of a dragon spirit."  
  
"You forget something," said Herb in a soft whisper.  
  
"What is that?" asked the sorceress cheerfully.  
  
"The true Spirit of the Dragon still lives."  
  
"That foolish pet thief of yours is not the Spirit of the Dragon. My sight has told me that much at least."  
  
"No, but I now know who he is," replied Herb softly.  
  
Nabiki stood up and snorted. "That is impossible. My sight would have revealed him if he lived yet. Soon, I will be High Priestess under Saffron, and then, I will simply await the time to take his power from him and make it my own."  
  
"We shall see," replied Herb through a gasp of pain. His eyes were wide and simply stared up.  
  
"Then tell me his name," said Nabiki as she smiled at him and brushed his jaws lightly. "I gave myself too you, you owe me that much at least."  
  
"Betrayer," gasped the dragon. His chest went still quite suddenly.  
  
Nabiki stood slowly and watched him for a long moment. "Damn." She turned away from him and walked into the night.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu glared irritably at the pile of wood in his arms. Daylight was growing close and the girls had actually whined him into making camp so they could eat and rest. He was standing on the edge of the forest looking out into the valley towards the nearest encampment. They didn't seem to be going anywhere. He'd agreed to a fire because it wouldn't look out of place early in the morning. The smoke would just blend in to the ones the encampments would use to make breakfast.  
  
He paused when he noticed something on a hilltop nearby. It was big and appeared to be wounded. "What the?" He dropped his firewood and started walking forward.   
  
It was Herb, he looked dead.  
  
Ryuu got a huge grin on his face as he carefully walked out of the tree line and glanced around. There was no one for miles. He shrugged his shoulders and walked up to the creature calmly.   
  
"You, are one of the men known as 'Dragon Ghost'?"  
  
Ryuu jumped back and went into a combat stance immediately.  
  
"Come boy. I am dying. I have much to speak too you about."  
  
Ryuu narrowed his eyes at the thing. "What do you want? Where is the staff?"  
  
"Already in the hands of the Emperor."  
  
Ryuu's brow creased as he cursed under his breath.  
  
"I have a favor to ask of you," said Herb as he looked up at the boy.  
  
"Let me guess, you want me to eat your heart right?" Ryuu didn't look very impressed.  
  
"If you do, you will gain my power," replied Herb through his short breaths.  
  
"Yeah, and in about two hundred years or so, you'd just pop back up and kick me out of my own body. I know how it works."  
  
Herb managed a soft laugh. "You know much young one. A pity."  
  
"Yeah, for you," snorted Ryuu.  
  
"That is not the favor I wish to ask of you. I am only half dragon, I am quite certain that will not work for me."  
  
"Did you want something?" growled Ryuu as he kicked a bit of dirt into Herb's shoulder. The thing didn't even feel it, but it made him feel a bit better. "Why should I help you out anyway?"  
  
"I knew about Jusenkyo, all those years ago. I let Ranma Saotome live. I was there, when Lord Tendo murdered his father."  
  
Ryuu stared at the thing for a long moment. "Why?"  
  
"Because, I needed him to deliver the staff to me, and complete my destiny. Revenge...if not by my hand, then by my word at my death."  
  
"What? You want me to kill Saffron?"  
  
"Saffron means nothing to me, I want you to kill Nabiki Tendo, and the demon she carries in her belly now. She seeks to manipulate the gods themselves. She is destined to failure and death."  
  
Ryuu simply looked down at the creature and frowned. He nodded slowly and turned away. "I'll let Ranma decide that when I see him again. He's the one you saved."  
  
Herb's eyes stared into the sky as it began to change from the darkness into the light. "Heh. Destiny, is a cruel thing too me it seems." He never saw the sun's rays creep over the horizon.  
  
Ryuu stood watching him for a moment before turning back to the forest.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Kiima is dead," said Nabiki as she knelt before the Emperor with a crystal sphere held between her fingers.   
  
"How?" Saffron sat on his throne with a deep frown on his face. He seemed angry, but was remarkably even toned.   
  
"Her body was not a pleasant sight," said one of the generals who stood on either side of the sorceress. "She appeared torn to pieces and eaten. As if killed by a large beast. We believe it was Lord Herb."  
  
"Killed when she delivered your message by a power mad fool."  
  
"You said nothing of this," said Saffron as he glared at her.  
  
The girl merely bowed her head. "Even I cannot foresee all my Emperor. It was probably too unimportant to your destiny to matter in the visions."  
  
Saffron nodded his head and waved his hand. "We will have a funeral when we return home. Send word to have preparations ready when I arrive."  
  
"Of course," said Nabiki as she bowed to him deeply.   
  
"You may go," said Saffron as he sighed and turned his head away from them and towards a window.  
  
Nabiki gave a nod and turned towards the door, followed by the two generals. Neither one of the men was particularly important anyway, she veered away from them as they exited the hall and walked towards her tent. Herb was so much fun to play with, she'd probably miss him from time to time.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Heh. Evil that I am, I'm going to make you wait to find out what happened too Ranma. ^_^ 


	20. The Dragon and the Ghost Part 20

The Dragon and the Ghost  
  
Part 20  
  
Ranma Saotome and the Mysterious Stone.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Light. It was the first thing to hit her eyes as she awoke. She simply lay where she was in silence. Above her she could see the canopy of the forest, a ray of light was shining directly into her face from above. It was quiet and the moss under her back was soft. She could hear the chirping of birds in the distance. It was quite peaceful indeed. She didn't really feel much like moving at the moment. Not so much from the serenity of her surroundings, but the intense pain that seemed to cover her entire body. Maybe if she didn't move it wouldn't hurt as much after a little while.  
  
"Oh. Hello. It's nice to see you're awake."  
  
"No talking," grumbled Ranma irritably from her place on the ground. Her head felt like it was going to explode.  
  
"Sorry, but we can't really stay here. It isn't safe," replied the male voice somewhat more gently.  
  
The incredibly cute elf girl sat up and gave the strange boy sitting on a fallen tree about five feet to her right a hard glare. The birds suddenly stopped singing.  
  
The boy simply swallowed hard. He had dark hair and a long sleeved shirt that hung like a coat from his shoulders. He also had what appeared to be a rake slung over his shoulder.   
  
"Shinnosuke?" muttered the redhead dumbly.  
  
"How did you know my name?" said the boy dumbly.  
  
Ranma's face fell somewhat. "Oh, right. Look, I'm an elf. We just know these things. I'm Ranma."  
  
The boy gave her a blank stare for a long moment. "Ranma?"  
  
"Well doofus. Let's see if you've actually managed to remember something?" replied the redhead with a sly looking smirk.   
  
"That's an odd name for an elf."  
  
The elf girl simply sighed. "Right."  
  
"Your right arm is broken. Luckily you didn't hurt your legs much. You really shouldn't have come here in such a condition."  
  
"I fell off a dragon," replied the girl irritably as she checked herself over with a few painful winces.   
  
"Man, that's an even dumber way to get here than just wandering in. Are you insane or something? You should have picked a better spot to land at least. It's very dangerous here."  
  
The irritation was too much to bear and the redhead planted her fist into his face. "What the hell are you doing here anyway? Last I heard you picked up that heirloom of yours from the wraiths. Man, that old guy really had you by the balls back then."  
  
"He still does," said a somewhat gruff sounding voice from a short distance away. "Hello again Ranma. It is agreeable to see you here."  
  
"Wish I could say the same," muttered the girl as she lifted her arm. "I had some healing herbs before I got on that lizard's back."  
  
"We have not found them I'm afraid," said the old man with a heavy sigh.   
  
"Who are you? Don't you know it's dangerous out here?" said Shinnosuke as he tried to usher his grandfather away.   
  
"I'm your grandfather fool!" snapped the man as he decked the boy. Shinnosuke crumpled to the ground at the man's feet.  
  
The redhead calmly stepped over the fallen youth and stood next to the unfortunate boy's grandfather.   
  
"How cruel!" said the old man with tears in his eyes as she ignored the boy's plight.  
  
"How many times do I got to tell you I ain't available?" snorted the elf as she turned her head away. "Besides. I understand how you feel. I had to spend a week underground with this moron remember?"  
  
"Well. I'm sure you'll show the proper gratitude when you feel you're ready," said the old man with a very serious looking nod.  
  
The girl was taking in her surroundings and noticed that she'd been moved while she'd been out. She could see the drag marks from her feet behind their footsteps. "Where did you find me?"  
  
"How do you know we didn't just stumble across you now?" asked the old man with a hint of amusement in his eyes.  
  
"Call it a gift," replied the girl as she narrowed her eyes at him.  
  
"Very well. We found you the moment you hit the water."   
  
The redhead nodded once.   
  
"We spotted that thing flying overhead and were trying to figure out what it was doing up there. You fell off and took a nasty tumble through the branches. Then you fell into the river a few miles south of here."  
  
The elf girl growled slightly. Her last memory was one of the particularly large branches belting her across the cheek. She had heard of healing spells the elves could use, but those arts required training she couldn't get just anywhere. Finding an elven teacher willing to show her these things was near to impossible. She couldn't hide her curse for that amount of time.  
  
"I guess I owe you again then," said the redhead as she glanced down at the still sleeping Shinnosuke.  
  
"It's so nice to see you warming up to him," gushed the old man.  
  
"Cut it out you creepy old guy!" snapped the redhead as she moved away from him with a disgusted look on her face.  
  
"As for the wounds, don't you worry. I can help you out with that shortly. We were taking you there already."  
  
"Where?" asked the elf girl irritably.  
  
"We aren't allowed to tell you unless you've been invited," replied the old man. "We're working as grounds keepers. Seems the old one got promoted a while back or something. My grandson is the perfect man for the job."  
  
"Yeah. No kidding, especially with weird rules like that one," replied the elf as she rolled her eyes.   
  
"Ah. Here we are!" said the old man cheerfully.  
  
Ranma's eyes were wide a saucers. "Oh shit!" A large castle loomed above the forest surrounding it. She wasn't surprised she didn't notice it before. It positively reeked of magic.   
  
"It's a magic school," said the old man. "Now that you've seen it, I can say what it is. I'm afraid that's about all I can tell you."  
  
"I know what it is," grumbled Ranma as she stepped back for a moment.  
  
"Huh?" muttered Shinnosuke in confusion.  
  
"Oh! Magic School!? That's amazing!" gushed the redhead quickly. "Ooooh! Pretty!" She pointed at the building and blinked cutely.  
  
Both men stared at her for a moment, glanced at each other, and then simply shrugged before continuing to lead her onward.  
  
When they were a fair distance ahead of her she muttered to herself. "Stay calm Ranma. You can pull this off." She sucked in a quick breath and stepped tentatively forward. Thunder rumbled ominously from above. "Or maybe not..." she muttered to herself nervously as she realized she had to catch up.  
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
The hallways had a sort of polished oldness to it. Torchlight lit the paths at night. Currently the sun was shining brightly. She could see heavy wooden doors that lead to classrooms.   
  
Shinnosuke and his grandfather slumped to the ground out cold. Ranma merely twisted her finger in her ear for a moment and glared down at the both of them.   
  
"Mandrake. What kind of class would include that hellish plant?" she muttered irritably. The men weren't dead, obviously the mandrake wasn't mature yet.   
  
As such, she was alone and injured in the midst of a large group of powerful wizards. She glared at the door to the classroom hatefully. "Great." She knew her way around the place quite well of course, but it wouldn't do to broadcast that. She'd been keeping her magic hidden so far. She looked like she'd been in a rather bad fight. Using the pretence of a complete drain on her magic would only work for a short time.  
  
"Wake up you idiots," grumbled the girl as she kicked them both in the ribs. They would be out for several hours. "Great." She glanced around in frustration. Just leaving might lead to catching someone's attention. "I knew this was a bad idea. What the hell was I thinking?"  
  
The doors to the classrooms opened and students began filing out of the doors.  
  
They were all wearing black robes over their clothes. Each one of the students had one of several different crests stitched onto the front of their robe over their heart. Most of them simply stopped dead in their tracks and stared.  
  
"Is that an elf?" muttered a few of the crowd in wonder.  
  
"Um. Heh. Hi..." said the redhead nervously.   
  
It was about this point that one of the teachers walked into the scene. He was a tall man in black clothes. His hair was long and dark and he had an almost serpentine look about him. "Would you be so kind as to inform me of how our groundskeepers have offended you?"  
  
"Actually, we were just walking by when one of your classes started teaching students about Mandrake."  
  
The man narrowed his eyes at her. "I see. You are hurt?"  
  
"Do I look hurt?" she replied simply.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I suppose that I am then."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Now what?" muttered Ukyo as she glared at Ryuu.  
  
Shampoo was tapping her feet impatiently with a deep frown on her face.  
  
The boy in question was squatting behind a bush while watching what was going on in front of him in a sort of fascinated horror. They were in the middle of a small patch of forest. Open field stretched out in front of them for miles, behind them was the heart of the mess. To the east and west were still more encampments. There were literally legions of men stretched out in front of him. Soldiers in encampment as far as they eye could see. There was easily more than a hundred thousand men all around them.  
  
Mousse was keeping watch at the rear by looking directly at a leaf that was bigger than his whole chest as it hung two feet in front of his face. "It's quiet out there. Almost too quiet."  
  
Shampoo glanced back at him and sighed. "Stupid Mousse."  
  
Ryuu glared at her. Mouse may have been facing the back of the group, but he'd hear anything approaching long before they would. He didn't feel like bothering with defending anyone though and grunted in frustration. "Damn. He's got the whole damn army here! He's not planning on going back to that capitol of his any time soon."  
  
"What do you mean?" muttered Shampoo in horror.  
  
"He's got that staff of his back. I'm wagering he'll start preparing what he needs to finish that transformation of his."  
  
"About two months," said Shampoo.  
  
"You know an awful lot about this," said Ukyo as she spared the girl a glance.  
  
"It is our way to find out things we need to know," she replied a little sharply.  
  
"Damn it! Don't you two start that crap here!" snapped Ryuu with a hissing whisper.  
  
"What are our options?" asked Mousse calmly.  
  
"We should probably wait here until dark and sneak through the camp. There will be regular patrols we'll have to dodge, but not much traffic otherwise."  
  
Mousse merely nodded. "That's what I was thinking."  
  
"You're on point tonight. Get some rest."  
  
"Hey!" snapped Shampoo.  
  
"What?" snorted Ryuu.  
  
"Don't we get any say in this?"  
  
"Do you have any ideas that do not involve charging blindly into the empire's army in the middle of daylight across an open field?"  
  
"No," replied the elf girl sheepishly.  
  
"Good."  
  
"How do we keep getting into these messes?" said Ukyo in a distraught tone.  
  
Ryuu simply narrowed his eyes at her and growled. "Next time I'm going to be the one who gets to go off on his own."  
  
"Fine by us," muttered Shampoo under her breath. Ukyo looked annoyed with her slightly, but nodded her head in agreement.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma was sitting in the infirmary with a pensive looking frown on her face. "How's it looking doc?"  
  
"You really shouldn't drain your magic down quite this much. It isn't healthy," replied the gruff looking nurse as she shook a vial of something in front of her face.  
  
The redhead was feeling much more capable now that her injuries were mostly gone. There was little more than some slight bruising left. She looked and felt much better now.  
  
Shinnosuke and his grandfather were lying nearby. They were still out, it was best to let the effect wear off on it's own. It was a much less painful way to wake up. Intervention was usually only used when someone was out for more than a day or so.  
  
"Thanks for the help," she said a little softly.  
  
"It's not a problem dear. I have to admit I was never expecting to have to heal an elf. That must have been some beast."  
  
Ranma nodded as her face became very serious. She still had a few big problems that needed solving fast. "Herb." Her eyes were filled with rage as she spoke the name.   
  
"Is that the beast's name?" asked a wizened sounding tone. The elf girl turned her head as the nurse shuffled away. A wizard was watching her from the other side of the room. He was a cheerful looking man with a long white beard. "Hello, Honored Elf."  
  
"Hello, Honored Elder," replied the girl as she jumped to her feet.  
  
"Strange that you are able to move about so easily with so little magic left."  
  
"I've trained well," she replied simply.  
  
The old man merely nodded. "Yes. I can see that. I suppose it is pointless to inquire why you are here. We know about the beast that flew over the woods near to the school. It was quite upsetting. Luckily, Shinnosuke and his grandfather found you quickly enough."  
  
"You sent them out after me didn't you?" she asked with a playful looking smirk.  
  
"I admit, I was a bit concerned. We were watching that dragon more than anything else, and just...happened to notice you."  
  
The man in the dark cloak strolled up behind the elder and frowned deeply at the girl. "We don't need her."  
  
The girl crouched low in an instant. Her eyes locked onto both men. "Where's the nurse?" she hissed as she spared nervous glances in either direction.   
  
"You have nothing to fear from us young one. My dear colleague is a bit rough so to speak. He is not permitted to harm you."  
  
"He couldn't if he wanted too. I could kill you both before you even realized what had happened to you."  
  
"But you will not," replied the old man calmly. "We would not have treated you at all if we had any intention of harming you."  
  
"Maybe," said the elven girl as she glanced down at her body for a moment. Any number of charms could have been placed on her during her time in the infirmary.   
  
"You have not been tampered with my dear," said the kindly old man softly as he sat on the bed across from her. "I am afraid I must ask a favor of you in return for our kindness."  
  
The redhead vanished from sight. The old man blinked and sat back. "Oh dear."  
  
The black clad man merely turned around in circles watching the walls around him cautiously.   
  
"Why should I bother helping you?" said a voice from all around them.  
  
"Because, I'm sure you'll agree. Once I tell you what I have to offer you, my dear boy."  
  
"I'm listening," said the voice coolly.  
  
"The staff is in the Emperor's hands. Not even you are strong enough to take it from his possession now. Once he becomes a god, no force will stop him."  
  
"Your point is?"  
  
"I can tell you of something that may help pave the way to destroying the Emperor."  
  
"That being?" the reply sounded almost amused.  
  
"If you do what I ask of you. I will tell you."  
  
"Ask me then. I don't trust you old man. You won't see me again the whole time I'm here."  
  
"We don't need his help," snapped the black clad man angrily.  
  
"Yes. We do," replied the old man as he stood up from his seat finally. "I'm afraid the story is quite complicated. I was hoping I could talk on the way to show you exactly what we need of you."  
  
"So go ahead. I can keep up fine."  
  
The voice faded from the room and towards the hallway that lead out to the grounds. "I do know my way around here pretty well. I'm sure that one knows it very well."  
  
"You..." growled the serpentine man angrily.  
  
"Calm down," said the old man softly as he walked by him and into the hall. "I think we have gained more of his trust than you think. We certainly have his attention if nothing else."  
  
They emerged into a room with stone stairwells stretching off in the strangest directions. It was barren mostly, save a few paintings and some large school banners that hung in the air. Ranma always found herself fairly impressed by this room. It made stealing from the place extremely difficult. The stairwells and doors shifted and moved, creating a rather complicated maze.  
  
"Not much for decoration?" commented the voice.  
  
"The school is still young. We hope to house thousands of year's worth of history onto these walls one day. For now, we simply deal with a few hundred." The old man actually seemed to be enjoying the conversation.  
  
"Right," muttered the invisible elf. She was starting to like that old guy a little too much for her own liking. It could be genuine; but then again it could be a charm spell of sorts. She had to be careful how low she let her guard get.  
  
She found herself pausing beside one of the windows as students buzzed by on broomsticks. "Man. They actually teach stuff like that to humans? What idiot thought that was a good idea?"  
  
The man in black simply glared daggers at the area he thought the voice was in.  
  
"We'll be there shortly," said the old man as he walked towards a dead end. A large stone wall barred their path. Ranma yawned lazily as a secret switch seemed too pull itself down. One of the torches on the stone wall was turned to an odd angle. "We're going to the vault right?"  
  
"Oh. You know the way? How nice," said the old man cheerfully as he picked up his pace a bit. His companion rolled his eyes and sneered.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Gold glittered in mounds of carefully stacked bars, coins, and piles of jewelry. A few gold and gemstone covered weapons littered the ground as well.  
  
"I was always a little disappointed by this place. Just generic treasure mostly. This place is really just a treasury for tuition funds."  
  
"Yes, I know," said the old man as he walked the boy over to an empty pedestal. "This is where it once rested."  
  
"Oh. I remember this thing. Big shiny blue rock right? Not polished, about the size of a fist... white chalk markings... um... ethereal glow?"  
  
"Yes. That's the one. It emits a natural light that's very similar to moonbeams. A very rare and valuable stone."  
  
"Cure for Lycanthropsy isn't it?"  
  
"Among other things. It can be used as a substitute for moonlight in some spells and incantations. It is also useful for curses that concern change, werewolves being one such case."  
  
Ranma was simply staring at the floor. She lifted her hand up and stared at it for a moment. No one else could even see her as she did this. She clenched her fist and stared forward. "So what?"  
  
"We would like you to find this stone for us. In return, I will tell you of something that will help you defeat the emperor when the time comes."  
  
"Sound's interesting," replied the voice. "Any clues what happened to it?"  
  
"It's in the dungeon," said the black clad man irritably.  
  
"Dungeon?"  
  
"The lower levels of the building," snorted the man snidely. "This is a castle after all. It has dungeons."  
  
"Why is it in the dungeons?" pried the elf girl a little harder.  
  
"Why should we tell you?" snapped the man. "All you have to do is find it."  
  
"By getting by whatever it is you can't seem to find a way around yourselves."  
  
"Somehow, the wraiths who stole the stone have managed to obtain a balisk. We are uncertain of how, or where this creature came from."  
  
The black clad man glanced over at the back of the old man's head with an unreadable gaze for a split second.  
  
"Well, someone has some idea anyway," thought Ranma to herself. "Did you say wraiths?"  
  
"Yes, disgusting creatures."  
  
"Hello boy," said a cheerful voice from behind her. She had moved back into the shadows so that she could listen, and relax her cloak a bit.   
  
"Oh no. Not this again. Anything but this again," muttered the redhead in horror. This situation was far, far too familiar for her liking.  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry, are we interrupting?" asked Shinnosuke. He turned towards Ranma. "Are you a new student?"  
  
The girl simply glared at him in frustration. "Look. You are staying here this time."  
  
"I think it's a wonderful idea! Shinnosuke! Go with her! I'm sure you'll be a big help!" The old man shoved his grandson forward.  
  
The boy stumbled clumsily into Ranma and she shoved him off quickly. Shinnosuke was thrown to the ground and decided it was probably a good idea to stay there.  
  
She whirled around to face the two wizards and growled at the two groundskeepers. "You idiots got me spotted!"  
  
"Huh?" muttered the pair in confusion.  
  
"I hope you'll accept this mission. I expect to hear from you soon." The old man walked away with his angry looking companion following reluctantly behind him. He gave the elf a final glare before rounding the corner away from the scene.  
  
"I'm going to find this stupid rock." Ranma had a feeling this wasn't going to be a good day. She was probably going to have to stay an elf all damn day again too. She turned and started walking down the hallway in the opposite direction.   
  
"Go on boy!" snapped the old man as he shoved his Grandson in the back after he stood up and sent him stumbling after the redhead.  
  
Ranma looked at the ceiling. "Balisk...hmmm...balisk...where have I heard that name bef...?" She froze in her tracks and simply stared forward in horror. "BALISK?!" She was in for a world of hurt.  
  
"Where are we going again?" asked Shinnosuke as he walked up beside her.  
  
She turned to glare at him for a moment. "You're going back. You won't remember that you can't look at this damn thing. Man I'm gonna have a hell of a time on this one." She paused. That stupid old man would just send him back to where she was. Shinnosuke could handle the wraiths as well as she could, but the balisk...  
  
"Damn it. You turnip brained moron. I can't get rid of you without risking you popping back up."  
  
"Hey!" snapped the boy as he narrowed his eyes at her. "That's not a nice thing to say!"  
  
She promptly decked him and sent him to the floor out cold. After shaking her hand off for a moment she calmly picked him up and carried him over to a nearby supply closet. It was insanely huge, almost warehouse like in fact. She took a bit of rope from her robes and promptly tied the boy up in lots of complicated and tight knots. She then dragged him behind a large stack of boxes near the entrance. Floor wax and industrial strength cleaners were piled throughout the large room. There were other supplies off to one side in a series of shelves and racks, mostly mops, brooms, and other basic cleaning supplies. "Man, you'd think this place was expecting armageddon or something. Can't wizards do anything without overdoing it?" She dusted off her hands and walked calmly back out into the hallways.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
The throne room was small and much brighter than the Imperial Palace. Still, the king of the region's throne was more than comfortable enough for Saffron. His servants seemed to have no trouble adapting to their new surroundings. Before him Nabiki Tendo kneeled and reported her progress.  
  
"There are places even my eyes cannot go."  
  
"I see."  
  
Nabiki Tendo kept her eyes on the floor and spoke calmly and evenly. Saffron was not well known for his patience.  
  
"You cannot find this Dragon Ghost for me?"  
  
"You will not find a wizard in the world powerful enough to track him reliably for you my Emperor. I can do little more than catch fleeting glimpses of him."  
  
"What of the other one?" hissed Akane as she walked into the room with her helmet firmly under her arm.  
  
"Ah. Akane," said the boy as he smirked at her cheerfully.  
  
"Other?" said Nabiki as she brushed her nails on her dress.   
  
"My master. I am sorry it took so long for me to return."  
  
"Yes. Your sister tells me that you reclaimed my staff for me. That is before Herb ambushed you and took it away once again."  
  
The girl growled and turned her head away.  
  
"Frankly, I'm amazed you survived that encounter at all. I'm quite impressed." Saffron seemed amused as he watched the two sisters glare at each other.  
  
"Th-thank you," muttered the girl as she bowed a little deeper.  
  
"Impressive enough indeed," said Nabiki calmly. "You surprise even me."  
  
"I am very well aware of that," said the younger girl as she leveled a cold stare on her sister.  
  
"I hear you rode your horse into the ground trying to make it back here. Trying to warn me? You should have known he would arrive first."  
  
The girl blushed for a moment. "I didn't want to miss the fight. I have not kept my feelings toward Lord Herb hidden well at all."  
  
"I see." The boy waved his hand and the pair rose to their feet. "Have Herb's two lackeys arrived back yet?"  
  
"I believe they are wandering about with Lord Kuno still," said Nabiki with a small nod of her head.  
  
"I can control those two morons. If not I'll just kill them." Akane seemed unimpressed by Nabiki's deductions. She'd probably sent them off with him.  
  
"That is acceptable. I suppose they are good servants, if a little dumb." Saffron looked rather bored with his conversation at this point and waved the pair away from him.  
  
Both of them bowed and turned away.  
  
"My Little sister. I'm so proud."  
  
"I haven't forgotten what I saw in that cavern."  
  
"I too am bound by my honor to the Emperor, and not to my family. You'd best remember that," hissed Nabiki.  
  
"I'm your sister. I am aware of how honorable you are."  
  
"I'm starting to like you," replied Nabiki.   
  
"I'm still deciding if I should let you live. Watch your mouth." Akane turned towards her room and away from her sister.  
  
"What other?" asked Nabiki as she ignored her sister's hostilities.  
  
"Hmmm? Something you don't know? I'm shocked." Akane turned away from her sister and chuckled.  
  
"Watch yourself..." started the older girl calmly.  
  
Both of them stopped in the middle of the hall. Akane had unsheathed her sword and was resting the blade on her sister's shoulder. "You wouldn't have batted an eye if I'd died in those caverns. That is not how a family acts Nabiki. You're not part of mine as far as I'm concerned."  
  
"But I have uses..." said the older girl calmly. She seemed completely unfazed by her sister's actions. "Even you need my help from time to time."  
  
Akane said nothing as she placed her blade away in a single fluid motion. "The only reason I haven't killed you, is because the emperor would not be pleased with me if I did. That is all. Watch yourself, because I'm not going to do it for you anymore Nabiki. No one is, you're on your own. You saw too that yourself."  
  
"Perhaps." The older girl seemed unruffled even slightly by these events. "I have ways of finding out what I want to know. Whether or not you tell me yourself is trivial." She calmly walked off into the palace leaving her sister standing alone.  
  
Akane stood in a bright beam of sunlight that was shining down from the gigantic window that rose dozens of feet into the air in front of where she was standing. She simply looked up into the light and glared with her arms crossed over her chest.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Wraiths were basically living shadows. Ranma wasn't too keen on dealing with them. She was currently standing in front of the doorway to the dungeon with a frown on her face.   
  
"I should go," she muttered to herself as she stood there. The wizards knew who she was. The old one did anyway, it was a dangerous situation and she was probably walking into a trap.   
  
Still, if the old man was right, and he probably was, she'd need whatever information he had. It left her in a bit of a dilemma. Walk into an obvious trap and give up whatever it was he had to tell her, or run off and take her chances against someone armed with a Godstone.   
  
The wizards wouldn't want Saffron to gain that kind of power. There were a few shady characters around the school. The teacher she'd met was one of them. There was little doubt in her mind that some of the students were at least dabbling in the dark arts while they studied at this place. However, most of the wizards and students tended to lean towards the light.   
  
It was likely that either way they would want Saffron to fail. Unfortunately, 'likely' wasn't certainty.   
  
"Shit." She growled and paced in front of the doorway. Wizards were patient, they would wait for her to enter their trap before they sprung it on her.   
  
The bustling of students above could be heard in the distance above her. The doorway that led to the stairwell she'd taken to where she was remained open. She glanced back up at the stairs. She didn't like being manipulated at all.  
  
"They could have been rid of me in that forest," she muttered to herself angrily.  
  
Without a word, she vanished into thin air.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Are you sure about this?" muttered the young female student as she peered into the supply closet. She appeared to be in her early teens and had two male companions standing just behind her. Both of them were the same age as she was.  
  
The room was dark and smelly, one of the boys looked a bit pensive about entering the place. "No! It was probably just a rat or something." His dark brown hair was curly and hung around his shoulders.   
  
"I heard something, I'm sure of it," muttered the other boy. He had short cut black hair and looked quite a bit braver than his companions did. "We should look at least."  
  
"What if it's a pair of upperclassmen?" asked the girl curtly. She had long red hair and a rather sly looking grin on her face as she said this.  
  
"It isn't," replied the bravest of the two boys calmly.   
  
"How can you be sure? I heard a freshman found one of the seniors with his girlfriend in a place like this a few years ago. He was turned into a toad for a week!" whined the cowardly boy nervously.   
  
The girl poked him in the ribs with her elbow. "Scared?"  
  
"Of course! Who wouldn't be!?" snapped the boy angrily.   
  
The braver looking boy raised his hand and walked into the darkness with a wand held in his other hand. The tip lit up giving the room a spooky looking haze of light.   
  
"Peter! Get back here!" snapped the coward.   
  
"This is why you'll never find a girlfriend," replied the redhead curtly as she brushed by him.   
  
"Great," muttered the boy as he followed after them reluctantly.   
  
"Edmund, Susan! Come over here quick! I've found something!"  
  
"You would find something. Why can't things like this ever be nothing?" replied the cowardly boy irritably.  
  
"Shinnosuke?" muttered the girl as she helped Peter turn the figure hidden behind the boxes over onto his back. "What's he doing here?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Something is going on here. He's been tied up!" snapped Peter as he worked at the ropes behind the groundskeeper's back.  
  
Edmund simply stared down at the scene with a sour frown on his face. "Let me guess what's next. It's up to us to find out?"  
  
"What else?" replied the redhead cheerfully. "Stop gawking and help us. These are very tight!"  
  
"Stop feeling his arms and help me with the rope!" snapped Peter as he glanced at her.  
  
"I can't help it, he's pathetic, but cute."  
  
Shinnosuke opened his eyes and sat up suddenly. "Where am I?"  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Peter as he finally managed to loosen some of the knots.   
  
"Who are you?" asked the older boy as he stared at them.   
  
"He's fine," said Edmund flatly.   
  
"I'm sorry I can't stay and talk, but I'm supposed to go to the dungeon!"  
  
"What?" asked Susan as she stared at him for a moment.   
  
"Why?" asked Peter.  
  
"Dungeon? Are you insane?" cried Edmund.  
  
"Why?" grumbled Shinnosuke as he clutched his head once his hands were freed. "I'm not sure, but I've got a headache."  
  
"Why did I bother asking?" grumbled the shorthaired boy as he stepped back. "We'll help you out."  
  
"We will?" muttered the coward in horror. "But...it's the dungeon!"  
  
"So what? That place hasn't been used in centuries," said the girl as she stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
"Exactly! Who knows what's down there? Did you forget where we are?"  
  
"Someone tied him up and put him in here. Whoever it was must know about what's going on. Maybe even why the lower floors are off limits right now?" said the shorthaired boy calmly as he glanced around. "We'd better get moving if we're going to catch whoever it was. I don't think he's been here long."  
  
Shinnosuke was very confused, but frowned at the students. "I'm afraid it's too dangerous for you down there. I should go alone."  
  
"You'll forget where you're going before you reach it without us," snapped the girl as she pulled at his arm. "Come on!"  
  
++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu Kumon was lying on his back with his hands behind his head as the group simply waited in the bushes. It was a peaceful scene. Well, it would have been if Ukyo and Shampoo hadn't started a staring contest. The pair was glaring at each other angrily in silence as they sat on opposite sides of their cover.  
  
"How long are they going to keep this up?" grumbled Ryuu as he glanced over at the pair for a moment.  
  
"I don't understand what the problem is," muttered Mousse. He was sitting with his back to the pair on top of a small rock.  
  
"Yeah, you do. That's why you're so upset," replied Kumon with a rough snort.  
  
Ryuu sat up suddenly as Mousse's attention moved back towards the outside world. "Something is up?"  
  
"There's a bit of commotion. I think someone has arrived."  
  
"Who isn't already here?" asked the boy as he moved up beside the drow and peered through the bushes. "Hey. It's lord Kuno."  
  
Sure enough, Kuno rode proudly into the camp with Lime and Mint beside him.  
  
"Beast-men," growled Mousse. "This isn't good."  
  
"There's a lot of ground around here. I think we're safe," whispered Ryuu quietly. Both of their voices dropped in volume as they realized what they were looking at.  
  
"I think we're upwind right now, but that could change," said Mousse calmly. "We need to keep an eye on them."  
  
Ukyo and Shampoo appeared to have no interest in the conversation.  
  
"We can't move from here," said Ryuu.   
  
A pair of guards moved closer to the cover and everyone fell silent.  
  
"Seems like Lord Kuno just rode in," commented one of the men.   
  
"Big deal," replied the other as he leaned against one of the trees of the party's cover. "That idiot probably followed Lady Akane here."  
  
"Man, those knights of hers have it good tonight. I hear there's a celebration for her victory. They say she defeated the Dragon Ghost himself."  
  
"Is that what they're saying?" said an unfamiliar voice.   
  
Both men looked at each other as a pair of hands reached out of the clearing and pulled them into the bushes abruptly.  
  
"What the hell are you doing!?" cried Mousse in a loud whisper as Ryuu put both men down for the count with two quick strikes to their faces.  
  
"You said we need to keep our eyes on those beast-men right? Well we're going to need disguises." He started to pull at the two men's uniforms and tossed Mousse a helmet. "Besides, I'm tired of waiting. Ranma is the patient one."  
  
"You're insane!" muttered the drow as he peered at it after he caught it.  
  
"What about us?" snapped Shampoo and Ukyo in unison.  
  
"You two are staying put. We'll come back for you tonight." Ryuu started to pull his shirt off as he freed one of the guards from his clothing finally. "Keep an eye on these two for a while." He pulled some rope from a small bag on his belt and tossed it towards the girls. "Keep them quiet and you'll be fine."  
  
"What if someone saw them come over here? They'll start looking if they're missing for too long!" growled Ukyo.  
  
"Well it's too late now," grumbled Mousse sourly as he reluctantly complied with Ryuu's plan. "I hate to admit it, but this will give us an opportunity to look around for an escape route for tonight."  
  
"It's getting late, we've got maybe three hours before nightfall. I'm sure you two can stay out of sight for that long." Ryuu glared up at them and finished pulling off the uniform. His pants matched the uniform, but Mousse was forced to pull his set on under his robe before removing them and putting on the shirt.   
  
"How do I look?" grumbled the blind drow.   
  
"Don't get too close to anyone," muttered Ryuu.  
  
"These won't hide us from those beast-men," pointed out Mousse.   
  
"So we'll stay upwind, quiet like," replied Ryuu.  
  
"Yeah. Quiet like in Joketzuko?" grumbled Ukyo.  
  
Ryuu just glared at her, and Mousse looked confused.   
  
"Stay put!" snapped Ryuu as he pulled the drow's arm and dragged him out into the open.  
  
Shampoo and Ukyo glanced at each other.  
  
"How long do you think?" asked the Knight.  
  
"Maybe an hour?"   
  
"Great. We need to figure out a way out of here before those two idiots start making a mess."  
  
Shampoo sighed and nodded her head.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stood inside the doorway of the dungeon and started digging through the bag at her side. She'd lost quite a few of her things after she'd ridden the beast, but fortunately she still had what she needed. After a moment she produced a small and simple looking dagger inside a sheath. The sword still hung off her shoulder, but it would be useless against the wraiths.   
  
The cavernous hallway of the dungeon loomed overhead. The place was huge, stone walls rose twenty feet over her head and there was ten feet of clearance on either side of her. It was nothing but a long hallway at the moment, but she could see dozens of smaller hallways in the distance. Torches lit the main hallway, but all light would stop once she made her way deeper inside.   
  
"Stupid wizards and their over doing things," she grumbled as she simply hung her head. The place was gigantic. She had little doubt it rivaled the palace above her in size.   
  
The torches were probably a new addition to keep the wraiths contained. Now she had to figure out where they were, the hallways were probably swarming with them, and there were probably dozens of traps hidden within the darkness.  
  
The treasure itself was rather small. Wraiths weren't very smart though; they tended to swarm like bees once they spotted you. It was probably sitting somewhere in the deepest part of the dungeon with the idiot shadows standing around it like zombified worshipers or something.   
  
That wasn't her only problem, the Balisk would be moving about the cavern, and there was probably more down in the shadows than just those monsters.   
  
"Great. How did I get roped into this again?" she asked herself as she started walking down the long hallway. She looked over her shoulder at the entrance as she walked. "Whatever you have to tell me had better be worth it old man."  
  
The balisk was an enigma; she had little doubt that the sorcerers were being honest about its presence. However, why would it remain inside the dungeon when there was so much food above it? A place like this was likely to shut down until they hunted the beast down once they started losing students. It appeared to be running at full capacity though.   
  
The elven girl narrowed her eyes as she turned down one of the hallways. Something inside her told her it was the right direction. She smirked to herself as she strolled into the center of the pitch-black cavern. Being an elf had its advantages at times.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"I'll keep watch here, you two go ahead," muttered Edmund as the group stood in front of the dungeon entrance.  
  
"It's open," muttered Peter as he peered into the stairwell that led straight down.  
  
Shinnosuke turned to face them with a serious frown on his face. "I should go on alone from here."  
  
"Someone is down there," said Peter as he glared at the boy. "You'll need help. I'm betting you were supposed to go after them."  
  
The groundskeeper blinked. "Hey. I think you're right. Still, I'm not sure what's down there. I can't put students in danger by letting you come with me. This is my job." He slung his rake over his shoulder and peered into the stairwell.   
  
"He's right you know," agreed Edmund.  
  
"Stop being so cowardly!" snapped Suzan as she smacked him on the back of his head.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Inside the office of the headmaster a firm looking female teacher stood in front of his desk with a scowl on her wrinkled face. "We have a problem."  
  
"Oh?" asked the kindly old wizard as he peered into her eyes.  
  
"One of our students has gone missing. A young girl by the name of Lucy. She was a first year student, and none of her classmates know of her whereabouts."   
  
"Oh dear," muttered the old man as he sat back and closed her eyes. "I fear something terrible has occurred."  
  
"The dungeon?" asked the woman calmly.  
  
"I fear it is so," said the old wizard with a small nod. "Perhaps, these wraiths are not acting on mere instinct."  
  
"It would explain the balisk," agreed the woman. "I shall alert the teachers, the students will be sent to their common areas immediately."  
  
"Yes. We must act quickly."  
  
"What of the girl?"  
  
"Young Shinnosuke has been sent into the dungeon. I feel there is little we can do but wait."  
  
"Shinnosuke? Are you mad?" gasped the woman in shock. "He won't remember..."  
  
"He has help. Beyond that I will say nothing." He smiled at her warmly. "I have acquired assistance in dealing with our little problem. Professional help so to speak."  
  
"I see." The woman nodded and turned to leave.  
  
The old man relaxed in his chair. "I pray it shall be enough."  
  
+++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu walked beside Mousse through the crowds of soldiers. Each of them dressed in similar uniforms, the sheer number of forces present meant they received little more than a passing glance. Both of them walked as if they knew where they were going. Neither of them had a clue where they were.  
  
"We're lost."  
  
"We're fine," snapped Ryuu.  
  
"Where are we then?" muttered the drow.  
  
"In the middle of the Empire's army," replied the thief.  
  
"Then we are far from fine."  
  
"Relax, I do this sort of thing for a living."  
  
"How comforting," snorted Mousse.  
  
"Hey! You two!" snapped a gruff sounding voice.  
  
The pair froze in their tracks and slowly turned towards the man who had called to them.  
  
A large officer stepped in front of them. He was a towering man covered in scars with bulging muscles. "Come with me."  
  
"What should we do?" whispered Mousse nervously.  
  
"What he says," replied Ryuu calmly. "Yessir!" he snapped in reply to the man.  
  
"What's wrong with you? Can't talk?" growled the officer as he glared at Mousse angrily.  
  
"Yessir! Sorry sir!" replied the drow instantly.  
  
Ryuu grumbled.  
  
"So, you're sorry are you?" said the man as he leered at them both. "Follow me."  
  
The pair walked just behind him and Ryuu glared at Mousse angrily.   
  
"What?" snapped the drow quietly.   
  
"You idiot. Now we'll be busy for hours if we don't get away from him."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
The pair found themselves standing inside a large tent. Boxes filled the space inside from top to bottom, large heavy looking boxes."  
  
"I need these crates moved to the east side of camp by sundown. Seeing as this one is 'sorry' I'll let you two idiots handle it alone. You'd better be finished, or I'll have your hides strapped to a post for lashes this evening." He pulled up the rear flap to reveal a horse cart just outside the tent. "I'll be watching you."  
  
Ryuu and Mousse simply stared at the man dumbly. "Yessir." They couldn't believe their luck as they replied in unison.  
  
The officer strolled out of the tent and left the pair to their work.  
  
"Come on, we're going to load this thing up," said Ryuu cheerfully as he picked up one of the boxes.   
  
"What? Why?" grumbled Mousse as he looked at the cart.  
  
"Don't be an idiot. These are supplies! Besides, having a full load will buy us more time. If we just take off and he comes back looking for us they'll start looking."  
  
The drow sighed and nodded. "Do you remember where those woods were?"  
  
"Don't worry, we've got plenty of time," replied Ryuu cheerfully as he shoved the crate onto the back.   
  
"What's in these things?" muttered Mousse irritably as he grunted after hefting another box.   
  
"Who cares? I'll bet it's worth quite a bit!" said the thief happily.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ukyo and Shampoo were peering through the brush waiting for an opportunity. Neither one of them had come up with a decent plan.  
  
"Now what?" grumbled Ukyo. "I don't like this."  
  
"Well, the best thing I can come up with is to hope those two idiots cause enough of a mess that we'll be able to escape unnoticed."  
  
"Not likely, there's too many of them for that."  
  
"Don't forget who you're talking about here," replied Shampoo calmly.  
  
"Right," grumbled the knight with a small sigh.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Lime and Mint hopped off their horses as Kuno stepped off of his own steed and posed proudly before the soldiers.  
  
"I have arrived. Fear not, for the battle shall now turn!"  
  
"What battle?" asked Mint as he looked at his companion.   
  
Lime simply shrugged and motioned for his companion to follow. "He'll be fine on his own. Come on before he realizes we're still here."  
  
"Right."  
  
The pair vanished into the crowd of men who were mostly ignoring the noble.  
  
Kuno walked up to one of the officers and turned up his nose as he spoke. "Where might I find the Lady Akane?"  
  
The man frowned at the noble and snorted. "She's in the palace with the Emperor. Two miles north of the camp."  
  
"Very well. I shall ride to her rescue post-haste. No doubt I shall be able to persuade the emperor to spare her life and allow her to become my wife."  
  
The man stared at the idiot in front of him. "She'd probably pick death first."  
  
"Pardon?" asked Kuno as he narrowed his eyes at the man.   
  
"You heard me," replied the man coldly as he walked away.  
  
"I shall have to speak with his superior once my nuptials are complete." He turned towards his horse, not bothering with the fact that he had no idea who the man was.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Boy. I'm sure glad that's over with," said Mint as he scratched behind his ear lazily.  
  
"I wonder where Lord Herb's tent is?" asked Lime as he peered around.  
  
"I'm not sure," replied the other beast-man with a small shrug. "We should probably check out that palace. He's probably with the Emperor now."  
  
"I guess you're right," replied the weretiger. He paused suddenly and looked around the area for a moment. "Hey. You smell something?"  
  
"What's a drow doing around here?" muttered Mint as he sniffed at the air. "There's another familiar scent...that elf girl?"  
  
"Someone who's been around her," growled Lime.  
  
"Come on," snorted the werewolf as he began to briskly walk towards the scent.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu hummed cheerfully as he started the horse in a lazy trot. He wasn't planning on returning to the tent and had loaded up the cart with about twenty of the crates. Neither one of the pair was certain what was in them exactly; there were no markings.  
  
Mousse was sitting beside him watching the soldiers go by. "We're getting close."   
  
"How would you know?" snorted Ryuu. The drow was right though. The small patch of woods was just ahead.  
  
"I'm not completely blind you know," growled the longhaired drow irritably. He adjusted his glasses for a moment and glanced around. "We're being followed."  
  
Ryuu glanced back over his shoulder and cursed. "Shit. It's those beast-men. I don't think they've spotted us yet, but they're tailing us."  
  
"Can we lose them?" asked Mousse.  
  
"Not without attracting a lot of attention."  
  
"That won't matter once they find us," pointed out Mousse.  
  
Ryuu snapped the reigns a little and the horse trotted a bit faster. "We should at least go and pick up the girls first."  
  
"There!" cried Mint behind them.  
  
"Aw man," grumbled Ryuu as he glanced back at them. They had dropped on all fours and were rushing towards them at full speed. "Hiyah!"  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"No! Those idiots! Don't bring them this way!" cried Ukyo as she stood up from behind the bush she and Shampoo were sitting behind.  
  
"Those two are going to have the entire army after them in a few seconds," grumbled Shampoo.  
  
"They're heading straight for us!" growled the knight as she clenched her fist.  
  
"What? Oh no," Shampoo realized that the girl was right. "They were supposed to be careful."  
  
"I get the feeling that our guide doesn't do that very well," muttered Ukyo as she tensed up a bit. "Come on. We won't be able to hide here anymore anyway."  
  
"Right," said Shampoo as she stepped out of the forest and started jogging towards the cart.  
  
"Get in!" cried Ryuu as he neared them. The horse was galloping at almost full speed. The beast-men were closing in fast, and a growing crowd of soldiers was following just behind them.   
  
"I'm going to have a serious talk with my Great Grandmother when this is over."  
  
"It could be worse," said Ukyo as the pair tensed up and jumped onto the side of the cart as it rushed by them.   
  
Both of them landed roughly inside the back and Mousse glanced back at them. "We should leave now," he said to Ryuu.  
  
"I'm working on it!" snapped the boy angrily.  
  
Shampoo was tangled up with Ukyo in the back. The pair struggled to push each other away as they tried to regain their balance on the wildly bouncing surface.   
  
Both of them froze and stared at the arrow that was sticking inside the wall. Ryuu's sword passed over their heads as the soldier who had ridden up beside them on his horse lost his head.  
  
"Don't just sit back there! Find a way to slow them down!"  
  
Mousse jumped into the back with them and glanced back. The beast-men weren't behind them anymore, but the mob of soldiers was growing larger by the second. Arrows were starting to fly at them from behind as men rushed out of their tents.   
  
Ryuu turned the horse suddenly and they were all thrown against the left wall as the cart actually went through one of the larger tents and passed through a dozen surprised sleeping soldiers. They emerged from the front side of the tent and the confusion bought them a few seconds at most as they thundered towards the edge of the encampment.   
  
"They're starting to mount horses!" snapped Ukyo.  
  
"What the hell do you want me to do about it?" snarled Ryuu as he kept his eyes forward.   
  
"Pass by that tent!" said Shampoo as she put her hand on his shoulder and pointed a particularly large one out to him.  
  
The boy did as he was asked without question and Shampoo shakily stood upright on the back. She raised her palm and a small orange light formed there. Men started to emerge from the tent as they shot by and Shampoo sent the ball of light into the side of the tent. In an instant it had burst into flames.   
  
"That won't give us much time!" snapped Ukyo. She was trying her best to steady herself against the boxes the two men had loaded into the cart. Her hand slipped along the side of one and sent it tumbling out of the back. It rolled violently across the ground careening through the crowd of soldiers and sending a few to the ground. The two girls blinked as it suddenly exploded in a massive ball of fire and sent troops flying in every direction. They looked at each other and then towards the two boys.  
  
"What the hell is in these?" snapped Shampoo as she started to work on the lid of one of the other crates.   
  
"Move!" snapped Ukyo as she pulled her spear off of her back and jammed it into one of the lids.   
  
The elf helped her pry the lid off using the spear as a lever. "Oh dear."  
  
"Explosives? You stole us a cart loaded with explosives?!" cried Ukyo as she tossed the lid of the crate aside. Inside were hundreds of small cylinders with fuses on the end.   
  
"Ryuu, we have a bit of a problem," said Mousse as he tapped the boy on his shoulder.   
  
"Shit!" snapped the thief as he glanced back and saw what they had loaded. "Unmarked boxes? Are they insane?"  
  
To the left of them, two giant black horses burst onto the scene. Each horse had a massive furry monster riding on it. Lime and Mint growled angrily as they charged forward in their beast forms. They were massive creatures with sharp claws and long fangs. A shaggy coat of fur covered them completely and they both growled as they started to chase after the cart.  
  
"Those two again?" growled Ryuu angrily.  
  
"It gets worse," said Mousse as he pointed ahead of them.  
  
"What's that up ahead?" asked Shampoo as she noticed a puff of smoke from the crowd of soldiers in front of them.   
  
A resounding boom filled the air around them as a shower of dirt exploded from the ground three feet to their left.   
  
"An artillery unit," said Ukyo flatly.  
  
"Great," grumbled Ryuu as he pushed the horse pulling them a little harder.   
  
"I told you we should have stolen the cart before we loaded it!" snapped Mousse.  
  
"You loaded these boxes? Are you insane!" screamed Ukyo as she grabbed Ryuu by his neck and started to choke him.  
  
Shampoo pulled her away quickly. "Let him drive! Yell at him if we get out of this alive!"  
  
"Yell at him!? I'll kill him! I want to see Ranchan again before I die!"  
  
"Both of you shut the hell up!" snapped the thief as he turned the cart to the right. A wall of rock loomed at the edge of the valley about a half-mile in front of them.   
  
"What the hell are you doing?!" cried Ukyo in shock.  
  
  
  
"There! That canyon!" cried Mousse as he pulled out one of the sticks of explosives and lit the fuse with a small spark from his hand. "I've got an idea!" he cried as he lobbed it at the forces that were quickly closing in behind them on horseback.   
  
Lime and Mint led the charge in their half man half beast forms. Each of them snarled angrily from on top of a pitch-black stallion.  
  
"They have nightmares?!" cried Shampoo.  
  
"They couldn't ride normal horses in that form," replied Mousse. "They probably stole them from one of the officers."  
  
"It's gonna be close!" cried the thief as he forced the horse to run at a full sprint. The explosion behind them pushed the forces behind them back a little as the horses reacted to the explosion.   
  
Another plume of dirt and smoke shot into the air a little to their right.   
  
"The artillery unit! They're starting to get close again!" cried the knight as she handed the elf girl a stick of the explosives. Mousse reached out and she handed him one as well.  
  
"We'll try to slow them down, just get us to that canyon in one piece!" called the drow over the thunder of horses and explosions.   
  
Ukyo watched as an iron ball bounced across the dirt two feet to their left and passed them. "Shit! Hurry up!"  
  
The rock wall loomed over them and the narrow canyon seemed to actually grow smaller as they neared it.  
  
"The cart won't fit!" gasped Ukyo as they drew ever closer.   
  
"Grab her!" cried Ryuu as he pulled Ukyo up by the waist and jumped forward onto the horse's back. "Light this!" He said as he held up one of the explosive sticks as Mousse landed on the horse behind him. Shampoo and Ukyo were far from comfortable in their positions across the lap of the two boys.   
  
Mousse didn't question and actually smiled as he caused a small spark to form between his fingers. Ukyo's eyes went wide as she seemed to catch on to what was happening. She grabbed the boy by his waist and closed her eyes as he let her go with his other hand, drew his sword, and hacked through the ropes holding the horse to the cart. With a casual flick of his wrist, Ryuu tossed the lit explosive stick into the cart as it slammed into the wall behind them.  
  
A large cloud of dust erupted from the wall behind them as an iron ball bounced off the canyon face and passed within two inches of Shampoo's face. The elf screamed as the horse reared back and tossed them all to the dirt.  
  
The army behind them vanished from sight as a massive boom ripped through the narrow space between the rock walls. Debris and small stones pelted them as a gigantic black plume of smoke billowed into the air about three hundred yards behind them.   
  
Ryuu coughed as he grabbed Ukyo by the arm roughly and started to drag her away. "Come on! That rockslide won't slow them down forever! We need to escape while we've still got time!" It took her a moment to regain her feet and she pulled her arm away as she finally managed to do it. She glared at him angrily and rubbed at her forearm as she ran.  
  
  
  
Mousse did much the same with Shampoo, but the elf was more than happy to oblige him as she jerked her arm away and started sprinting fast enough to keep up with Ryuu.   
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Lady Akane," said Saffron as the girl kneeled before him. "What news?"  
  
"We aren't sure who they were. Lime and Mint were chasing them, but they haven't given a report yet. I was going to speak to them about it when I told them about Herb after this meeting. I'll have more information then."  
  
"Travelers who got caught by surprise when we camped around them in the night." Nabiki strolled into the room with a smirk on her face. "That is what the spirits tell me of them."  
  
"How much damage did they cause?" asked Saffron calmly.   
  
"We lost several men, and a small load of explosives," said Akane. "As I said. I have not yet spoken to all of the witnesses. They caused quite a bit of chaos and blocked the canyon in their escape. We could move the blockage, but they would be gone by the time we finished."  
  
"I see. We shouldn't concern ourselves with it right now then," said the Emperor with a small sigh.  
  
"That would seem to be the best course of action," agreed Akane. "I've already sent a squad out looking for them just to be safe, but I doubt if they'll find much of anything."  
  
"Very well. You may leave me then."  
  
The two sisters spared each other a glance and walked away. Nabiki went back through a door near the throne, while Akane walked back towards the front doors.  
  
They burst open and Tatewaki Kuno strolled into the room proudly. "My emperor!"  
  
The black knight simply glared at him hatefully frozen in mid stride.   
  
"I have come before you to beg for my beloved Akane Tendo's life, and to ask for her hand! We shall wed this very day, and her disgraceful failure can be erased. I am certain she will gladly resign her position and take her proper place as my wife!"  
  
Akane tried to control herself, really she did. However he turned to smile at her and she simply punched him in the face with her metal gauntlet still on. Sadly, they were not spiked, as she was still wearing the spare armor. Her new set of black armor would not be ready for several days yet. She turned to face her master and fell to her knees. "Please. Let me kill him!"  
  
"Akane. Please behave."  
  
The girl blushed as she stood and bowed to the emperor. "I am sorry."  
  
"I'll overlook it this once. He did overstep his bounds a bit this time. His loyalty is strong, and I find him somewhat amusing."  
  
"As you say," she said as she turned away.   
  
The noble was rubbing at his chin as he watched her walk away. "Such ferocity..."  
  
"Lady Akane has won my favor Lord Kuno. She has defeated the fabled Dragon Ghost and returned my staff to me almost single handedly. Lord Herb's betrayal is not her fault."  
  
"Lord Herb?" muttered the man dumbly.  
  
"Yes. In any case, if she ever does decide to kill you, I probably won't punish her. I won't tell her that though." The child emperor chuckled as he watched the man stagger to his feet.   
  
"The Dragon Ghost? A worthy opponent indeed, I have heard tales of him. A worthless coward, but quite skilled."   
  
Saffron merely nodded. "Akane is no longer in danger. If there is nothing else?"  
  
"I give you my leave then," said Kuno as he bowed deeply and turned away.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma stared at the three doors in front of her with a sour frown on her face. The severed remains of a giant spider littered the ground behind her as she simply sat on a broken pillar and contemplated her situation. She had the dagger drawn and it emitted enough light to see fairly well inside the hallways.   
  
"Okay Ranma. You've got to pick one of these doors. What's the worst that could happen?" She sighed and hung her head. "You could end up spending all day wandering around down here that's what. Just like now."   
  
Finally she pulled her sword out and placed the tip of the blade onto the ground. She closed her eyes and held her breath as she stepped back and released the blade. It fell back towards her and she smacked herself on the forehead. "This sucks. Stupid wizards."   
  
She put her sword away and simply picked the middle passageway. She strolled down the path, and the room returned to darkness as she rounded a corner.  
  
The room did not remain dark for long though, or silent. The sound of screaming filled the hallway as an orange light erupted from the entrance to the room.  
  
Four people rushed inside and tumbled over each other as a jet of flame passed over them. The fires fell back and the group simply laid still entangled with each other on the stone floor in the dark.  
  
"Ouch," grumbled Peter as he sat up and held a small wooden wand up. A light formed on the tip, not as strong as Ranma's dagger, but more than enough to see with.   
  
"I told you not to touch that!" snapped Susan angrily as she slapped Edmund upside his head.   
  
"I thought it would open that door!" cried the boy as he rubbed the sore spot where she'd hit him.   
  
Shinnosuke dusted off his pants and looked around the room. "Now where are we?"  
  
"I'm not sure," replied Peter. "Looks like we have to pick a door."  
  
"Which one?" asked Edmund as he peered at them.  
  
"This one," replied Peter as he pointed at the right door.  
  
"Are you sure?" asked Susan.  
  
"No, but do you think he can tell us?" replied the boy as he pointed at Shinnosuke.  
  
The groundskeeper looked annoyed, but in the end he simply sighed. "I doubt if anyone could tell us the right way."  
  
"We aren't even sure what we're looking for!" snapped Edmund angrily.  
  
"Well, I guess that settles it then. This way." Peter started forward with his wand lighting the way.  
  
"Don't touch anything!" snapped Susan as she shoved the cowardly boy forward.  
  
Shinnosuke simply sighed and followed after them. "I wish I could remember how I got into this mess."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
TBC...  
  
Next Time: Between a stone, and a hard place. 


	21. The Dragon and the Ghost Part 21

The Dragon and the Ghost  
  
Part 21  
  
Someone's been reading Harry Potter, while listening to Anvil of Crom. [P.S. Thank Rob Zombie for getting me in the mood to finish this finally.] ; p  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma Saotome hated dungeon crawling, especially as a young nubile elven girl. Dark caverns were crawling with monsters, light caverns were far worse. They had traps and riddles, and all sorts of nasty thinking games to deal with. Evil people seemed to rely more on magical barriers and minions. She preferred things that way. This was even worse. It was a horrible collection of both, sewn together by four great wizards. Dungeons existed in schools to take care of magical overflow from student's mistakes, dark minions attracted to those who would choose the dark path, or summoned by them in some cases.   
  
She held her torch out in front of her and walked calmly forward while peering at everything around her carefully. She paused as she came out of a doorway and into a room with many doors. "Shit. I hate these rooms." There were about fourteen different doors all around the room.  
  
After a moment of thinking, the elven girl hung her head in defeat. She had no other choice but trial and error as the door she had entered from became sealed off. "Great." She walked straight across to the door opposite the solid wall that the entrance had become. It opened easily and revealed a rather unusual scene.   
  
Three beautiful women sat on pedestals in a far corner of the next room. They stood up and called to her, revealing their nudity. There was a door on the opposite side of the room where he was standing, and a pathway too it. The rest of the room was covered in a small clear pool no more than a foot deep that separated the women from the path. They jumped up and down excitedly and waved to her, calling her name. "I bet they think they look like guys right now," she muttered with a small chuckle.  
  
"No darling, we know exactly what we look like, just for you," said one of the trio silkily.   
  
Ranma merely smirked and put her palm up. A small ball of orange light formed in her hands and she pointed it at the trio. "I have to concentrate to hold this spell. I haven't yet mastered it, as it is a bit too powerful for me. If I am distracted, you might get hurt." She walked calmly onto the pathway keeping the energy ball pointed at the three cowering women as the tried their best to shy away and look small. The energy vanished as she walked through the door on the opposite side of the room. "By the way ladies, I was bluffing. I use that spell to light campfires."  
  
Anguished screams of rage filled the room as something large thrashed around in the water behind her.   
  
The elven girl continued forward with a smirk on her face as she found herself standing at the doorway to a large stadium like arena. "Hmmm. This is more my kind of trap," she said with a small smirk as she slowly drew her sword. She had to focus on the door, or she'd wear herself out fighting and die. Her last trip to this room nearly had done just that. She'd been through the dungeon several times before, and it was never the same place twice. The same rooms might show up from time to time, but the dungeon would only lead you to where you wished to go if you proved yourself worthy.   
  
She'd never failed the test.  
  
All she had to do was make it to the other side.   
  
++++++++++++++++++  
  
Shinnosuke glared at the three children leading him into the dungeon and wondered how he'd suddenly been given escort duties. His memory wasn't particularly helpful in figuring it out. "How did we end up down here again?"  
  
The bravest of the trio glanced back at him as he casually walked through the seemingly endless hallways. "We told you three times already. Someone is down here. They tied you up and left you in the supply closet. My guess is that strange elf everyone saw with you earlier. You probably don't remember who she is, or why she's down here."  
  
Suzan glanced at the boy and frowned at him. "Since when did you get so smart?"  
  
"I've been thinking about it since we've been down here," replied the boy with a small shrug. "What do you think Edmund?"  
  
"I think this is great. If she's an elf, she probably has permission to be down here! We can go back!" He seemed quite pleased with himself.  
  
"Well, not unless he can remember the way out," said Peter as he pointed at Shinnosuke. "Besides, why did she tie him up if she was supposed to be here?"  
  
Shinnosuke had suddenly gone very ridged. For some strange reason, his memory decided to kick in at that very moment and reveal a very important fact about why he was down there. "Basilisk!"  
  
The students turned to look at him and he scratched the back of his head. "What the heck is a Basilisk?" asked Edmund fearfully.  
  
"I dunno, but there's one down here. I think I was supposed to be doing something about it with that elf girl. I'm not sure though." He looked quite serious as he said this.   
  
"What?" gasped Suzan as she stared at him blankly. "So we're hunting some sort of monster?"  
  
"Excellent!" said Peter cheerfully. "How bad can it be? Doesn't sound very intimidating really."  
  
"Are you insane?! We'll be killed!" cried Edmund.   
  
"Can't be all that bad," replied the boy with a shrug.   
  
"Peter, I don't like the sound of this one." Suzan had a slightly worried look on her face as she held her wand up like a torch and peered around the walls more carefully. A dull thumping sound behind her, followed by seven other's just like it caught her attention as she slowly turned her head back to see what the noise was. Her voice was very quiet and small sounding as she got their attention by clearing her throat. "Gentlemen, we have a very big problem. I think we found the Basilisk."  
  
Shinnosuke glanced back at the gigantic Tarantula that had set down on the floor behind them. It looked to weigh a little over two tons and completely blocked the floor of the hallway. "No. A Basilisk is much bigger than that."  
  
"WHAT!?" cried Suzan as she struggled to pull her eyes away from the monster.   
  
"Suddenly I'm not feeling quite so up to this," mumbled Peter dumbly as he backed away from the massive creature slowly. Everyone in the group was doing the exact same thing as it raised its front end up to expose its gigantic fangs.   
  
Shinnosuke was actually smiling. "Get going. I'll catch up to you. I'm going to hold him off while you escape. Just don't get too far ahead of me."  
  
"Let us help you!" snapped Peter as he pulled a torch from a nearby wall and tensed himself up. His wand had taken on an orange glow in his other hand and the torch's flame became a bit brighter.   
  
Edmund was already trying to run away while Suzan held him in place with one hand while pointing her wand with the other. "I think we should listen to him Peter. I'm not sure if I can conjure anything that will hurt something that size just yet."  
  
"The Basilisk is much bigger," reasoned Peter. "If we're going to fight it, this will be nothing."  
  
"So we're doomed either way?!" cried Edmund in horror.  
  
"Do you really trust him to remember we're down here? Or which direction we ran in?" asked Peter.   
  
"Get out of here! You're not strong enough!" growled Shinnosuke angrily. The monster was waving its legs at them as it lifted the front half of its body off the floor. The exit was completely blocked by the mass of the monster.  
  
"We're not leaving you," said Peter firmly. "We'd just get lost and die without you around."  
  
"If you stay, we'll have to kill it. That's much harder than simply getting away," said Shinnosuke. The giant spider had done little more than hiss at them threateningly so far and keep their attention as they slowly backed away. "We can't out run it."  
  
"We seem to be doing fine," said Edmund as he glanced back at the door that led out of the hallway. The nearest one was almost a hundred yards away.  
  
The spider started thumping forward, it was crawling slowly and staying just in front of them. Shinnosuke glanced back. "Go. Into that doorway, I'll hold it back while you get to it and follow when you're safe. Just do as I say all right?"  
  
He jumped forward suddenly and arced the rake in his hand on top of the creature's face.   
  
The beast hissed angrily as Shinnosuke pole-vaulted off its face and over its back. He landed on the floor and spun his weapon around his wrist as he prepared himself. "Come on! I'm the one you have to worry about!"  
  
The children were all running towards the doorway. The spider ignored them and turned around to face the pathetic creature that had dared to strike it. Venom dripped from its fangs as it reared back and hissed at him.  
  
The boy blocked as the creature began to pound on him with its legs as it pushed him back in the other direction. His weapon held against the gigantic legs of the two-ton monster as he used it to block the strikes. It swiped at him with one of its front legs and tossed him into the air towards one of the walls.   
  
  
  
He grunted as he twisted in the air and landed feet first against the stone. He pushed off with his feet and swiped at the monster's head as he passed over it again. Its torso slammed into the ground from the force of the blow and he twisted to land behind the beast once again.   
  
It was a little slow turning around and he turned and started running towards the door. He could see one of the children standing just outside of it with a firm looking frown on her face. "Hurry up you showoff!"   
  
"Get inside!" he screamed angrily.   
  
The spider had recovered and was gaining quickly as he drew closer to the door. It was tearing down walls as it scrambled after him in a rage. Large clouds of dust and rubble were coming down just behind him as he charged towards the open door.   
  
Susan scrambled back inside as fast as her legs could carry her at the sight of the creature.   
  
Shinnosuke sighed as he hung his head after diving through the door. One of the giant legs reached in and scraped the ground just behind him. They all backed away from the monster and further into the new room. After a moment, the monster moved away.  
  
"Stay and fight it?" snapped Suzan as he slapped Peter upside his head rather firmly.  
  
"Ouch. Sorry," he grumbled sheepishly.  
  
"Where are we now?" asked Edmund as he looked around. The room did not appear very threatening at all really.   
  
Torches lit the walls around them and various jewels seemed to be embedded into the paintings on the walls. "This is neat. I bet you there's a fortune in jewels on those walls."  
  
Shinnosuke glanced around cautiously as he stood up. Suzan noticed this and frowned slightly at the carelessness of the two boys. Peter and Edmund were gazing at the ancient artwork on the walls.   
  
"Don't touch anything," warned the girl. "We don't know what this place is exactly."  
  
"Right," grumbled their guide miserably. "Something about this place..."  
  
"The whole room sparkles," said Edmund as he looked around. Jewels were shining everywhere.  
  
"Get out your wands," said Shinnosuke angrily. There were shiny objects everywhere. "When they come, use a light spell. Light hurts them, but it won't kill them." He ripped the rake off the end of his staff and placed it in his bag. Without saying a word he took a pair of glowing white crystals out of the same place and placed them in either end of his weapon. There were holes already prepared for this purpose. "Wraiths."  
  
"Shit," grumbled Peter. The torches around them had started to go out on their own, one by one. Even the one in his hand became useless as some sort of magic sucked the heat out of the room. The air became chilled as it became pitch black.  
  
The lights of three wands quickly joined the soft glow of Shinnosuke's staff as they moved closer together in the darkness.   
  
"They probably haven't taught you, but you can make a beam out of a light spell if you just point it and will it to happen. It's not difficult once you have the spell ready. It will stun them for a moment and hold them back. You've got to be quick though, you'll only be able to stun one or two at a time."  
  
"Right," said the three young wizards as they glanced around the room carefully. All of them were standing back to back in the middle of the room. "Come on. We'll need to leave. They'll be after us soon. They'll follow us. We need to find more light."  
  
A high pitched screaming noise sounded in the near distance.   
  
"Here they come," growled Shinnosuke as he turned towards the source of the noise. "They'll know we can't turn back because of the spider. They'll be blocking our route forward."  
  
Susan blushed despite herself. He was handsome when he was commanding and serious, he also seemed much smarter. It was too bad a complete idiot replaced him when things calmed down.  
  
The shadows in front of him began to move and melt into what looked like hooded darkness crawling across the wall.   
  
"Follow me!" The guide charged forward and spun his staff towards the wall just as one of the monsters began to push out of the wall and take form. A beam of light shot from the tip of his staff and through the creature's head. It seemed to explode as streams of light escaped from it's still forming face before it shattered away. "I can kill them, but you can only hold them back. So stay close to me! These things swarm."  
  
"Swarm? You mean like bees?" muttered Edmund in horror.  
  
Slowly, more shrieks started to echo through the darkened corridors in either direction.   
  
"Something is wrong. There's far too much activity in this place," said Shinnosuke. "It's usually not this bad."  
  
Suzan piped up suddenly. "I read something about this place once. It's a test, depending on what you want to do down here. It challenges you to make sure you're ready to do it. If the task is too difficult for you..."  
  
"You don't make it," said Shinnosuke with a serious nod. "I've been in worse spots than this."  
  
"Really?" asked Peter. "Do you think you could tell me about it when we get out of this?"  
  
"Not really, no," said their guide honestly. "I do remember not liking Wraiths, so I'm pretty sure I've done this before."   
  
Susan whapped the boy upside his head once again.  
  
"Ow! Hey! I was just askin," he muttered under his breath.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma spun her sword around her wrist over her head and placed it back into its scabbard. The front legs of the giant spider in front of her fell away and it fumbled around with its face dragging across the floor. She put her foot down and squashed the contents. That always got all sorts of weird green goo all over the bottom of her shoe when she did it.  
  
The beast wasn't nearly as large as the one Shinnosuke had faced, but there were around twenty of them a few minutes before. A long trail of small dead monsters littered her path as she looked back and fourth across the giant coliseum. She was halfway through it. She paused when she suddenly realized there was something different about her surroundings. There was a small table sitting in the center of the room. A black longbow and a full quiver of arrows were just sitting there. The surface of the wood was highly polished black wood, and its craftsmanship was extraordinary.   
  
"What the hell?" she muttered as she glanced down at the note attached. "You will earn the price of this in the course of your journey. Take it, it will aid you."  
  
She narrowed her eyes as she gazed over the note. "It could be a trap." She hadn't seen anything crawling out of the darkness around her for quite a few moments either. That was very unusual in this room.   
  
She passed her hands over the table and very close to the weapons. There were no strange feelings from either of them. That did not mean they were safe though. She closed her eyes and contemplated her situation. "All right. I'll bite."  
  
She picked up the bow and arrows and hooked them over her back carefully. They were definitely magical items of some sort, and she'd probably need them in the near future. Dungeons like this one had a way of giving you what you needed, but it could also deceive you with a trap disguised as something you needed.  
  
Ranma didn't think she particularly needed a bow. Her skill in the weapon was definitely lower than the average elf girl's. In the end, that had been why she had decided to take it. A living dungeon wouldn't tempt her with something it knew she probably wouldn't want. Then again, she'd taken it.   
  
She was feeling strangely pensive about moving forward suddenly. The whole situation was starting to get to her. It was going almost too well. There was going to be some sort of payback for that later. She just knew it. She was now far enough away from where she'd acquired the bow that she was fairly certain it was not a trap.   
  
The door was only a few hundred yards away now. She'd probably walked miles across the room already, even though it hadn't looked near this large when she'd entered. It was done by screwing around with scale and perception, and a magical endless opponent-generating spell. Fortunately, it couldn't make anything that could cast spells. As such, she was stuck fighting barbarians, spiders, snakes, giant lizards, ogres, trolls, goblins, and the usual assortment of stock evil henchmen. She hated the giant purple dinosaurs the most. They were easy to kill, but god they were annoying. Around twenty of them littered the ground behind her.  
  
She shrugged after a moment of walking and passed through the door unopposed. "That was kind of disappointing," she grumbled as she glanced back into the room again. She'd have to tell off that idiot wizard for shutting off her fun when she finished the job. She was going to have to find her way into this room more often in the future.   
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu Kumon had rings under his eyes. Mousse seemed somewhat cheerful for once, and Ukyo and Shampoo were sitting on the back of a tattered looking cart that slowly drifted down an open road. Ryuu had procured it for them earlier that evening from a farm they had crossed. He left the farmer his animals as they still had the two horses from the military camp with them.   
  
"Why are we going east?" asked Shampoo.   
  
"Let me worry about that," replied Ryuu calmly.   
  
Ukyo snorted and continued to stare out across the open green fields that surrounded them on all sides. It was a warm day, and the countryside was quite beautiful.   
  
"Um, will Ranma meet us there?" asked Shampoo.  
  
Ukyo's attention was caught for a moment, and a small frown was directed at Shampoo.   
  
"I already told you, I don't know. Maybe, maybe not."  
  
"Here we go again," muttered Mousse as his mood suddenly fell. He moved up onto the driver's seat with Ryuu.  
  
"Where do you get off asking about my Ranchan that way?" grumbled Ukyo. "He's already told us he doesn't know."  
  
"He does know, he just doesn't want to tell us," grumbled Shampoo as she glared at the two boys for a moment. "He's obviously hiding something."  
  
"He's good at that," said Ukyo coolly. "I'm the one who should ask about him. I know why you're so interested in whether or not he'll be there."  
  
"I don't see a ring on his finger," replied the elven girl calmly. "Besides, if he does choose you for some odd reason, I'm sure he'll lose interest when you start to grow old. He'll remain the same for centuries. Did you know that?"  
  
Ukyo, and everyone else on the cart turned towards the elf.   
  
Shampoo was looking quite smug with herself as she continued to watch the countryside.  
  
Ukyo's face was definitely shocked. "What?"  
  
"His curse will keep him young, he will age as my people do. I'm patient, if you get to him first, I'll have him sooner or later."  
  
Ryuu frowned and watched the road ahead of them. Ranma didn't talk much about his curse, and he didn't ask. What the elf had told them was probably true, if Mousse's reaction was any indication.  
  
The drow was growling quietly as he clenched his fist. He seemed angry, and frustrated. The boy had eyes enough to see what had caught his attention. Personally, there was no way he'd get hung over any woman that much. He hated hanging around magical types anyway. They had a way of making him think about his own mortality. It was damned annoying. "Will you two shut up?! I don't care if Ranma lives to be a thousand. I'm sick and tired of hearing you two bitch every time someone brings up his damned name!   
  
Ukyo frowned at him and looked somewhat hurt by his insensitivity. She'd just found out the man of her dreams was practically immortal. She had some serious thinking to do about their relationship. She knew he'd love her anyway, but it was something she felt she should prepare herself for.   
  
Shampoo just gave the boy an annoyed frown and went back to watching the road. It was a shame. Loosening Kuonji's hold on her future husband was a good way to pass the time. Perhaps it was just as well to let her stew on that for a while. By the time Ranma met them again, she would have crushed the girl's feelings with doubt.   
  
Both of them stared at each other from opposite sides of the cart. Each one was giving the other their coldest hardest stare.   
  
Ryuu glanced over his shoulder. "Don't make me turn this cart around and take us back to that military camp! I'll do it if you two don't cut it out right now!"  
  
Both of the females turned their eyes away from each other as if nothing had happened.  
  
"I'm starting to regret promising Ranma I'd get her back in one piece."  
  
Mousse decided that silence was the better part of valor anyway. He'd just discovered that he needed to be rid of Ranma. Deciding the best time to do that was important, and he had no illusions that it might be easy. It would probably be a few days at least before they met up with the cursed boy. He had plenty of time to think it over.   
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Shinnosuke frowned as he realized he was going to be in serious trouble when he got back. He'd somehow managed to drag three kids into the dungeon with him, and he had no idea why he was there. All he knew was he was surrounded by wraiths, with three students. They were helpful at the moment, but would quickly run out of magic.   
  
Susan shrieked as a bony clawed hand swiped at her from just outside the soft blue light that surrounded them all. The group had their backs to each other and pointed their weapons into the darkness. Shinnosuke's staff was shielding them from the darkness.  
  
The wraiths screamed and cried angrily all around them. None of them could hear anything but a painful ringing any longer.   
  
Peter's wand was glowing fiercely as he stepped with the rest of the group towards the stone doorway a few yards to their right. It was a dusty looking laboratory. Ancient carpets covered the floors. The shelves were lined with books, and bottles and beakers full of long forgotten liquids lined the top of the worktable in the middle of the room.   
  
"What is this place?" muttered Edmund through his tears. He was crying and didn't care who knew about it. "How do we get out of here?"  
  
"There are dozens of them. I'm not sure about this," grumbled Shinnosuke. "Last time I had help..." His voice trailed off. "Um, I think."  
  
"What are we? Chopped liver?" grumbled Peter irritably.   
  
"Turn it down a notch or you'll burn off all your magic. You won't be much help then," replied Shinnosuke irritably.   
  
"What about that elf girl?" asked Suzan.   
  
"Elf girl?" said Shinnosuke in confusion.  
  
"The one who tied you up!" snapped the girl angrily. They passed through the doorway leaving the room full of wraiths behind them. The creatures shrieked angrily, but Shinnosuke had tilted his staff towards the door. The monsters could not enter through the beam of light that shined through the door.  
  
"Doesn't matter much now. We've got to keep moving. I can't hold them forever. It won't take them long to try and find another way to get to us."  
  
The children went quiet and moved through the room.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma arched her eyebrow as she strolled into the open room. It seemed to be empty and made completely of symmetrical cube blocks. When she reached the center of the room, both doors closed as heavy stone slabs slid into place. There were four torches, two on either side of the two doors. Nothing had happened yet and she glanced around.   
  
"Well? I'm waiting."  
  
A low rumbling filled the room as ten of the blocks in the floor and ceiling began to shake out of the floor. They linked together by floating into a humanoid shape. The holes on the floor were filled with dangerous spikes, and flames shot down from the open holes on the ceiling occasionally.  
  
"Not bad." Ranma was impressed as the creature lumbered towards her. She pulled the sword off her back and narrowed her eyes at the swirling black and white ball of power that had formed in the center of the thing's chest.  
  
The creature slammed one of its arms into the ground where she had been standing. The girl deftly skipped aside and hopped across one of the spike pits. The creature slowly turned towards her and jerked its arm towards her. The arm elongated sending the stone at the end into the opposite wall. Ranma had ducked sideways to avoid the shot and looked up at the block that hung over her in the air nervously. She still had her sword drawn and slid out of the way by rotating her torso as it crashed to the ground and slid back over to the monster again.   
  
"Woah." One of the jets of flames shot down from the ceiling near her. It was incredibly hot and she started to sweat almost instantly. "Damn."  
  
The monster was getting faster, it rotated and moved its arm in a waving motion sending blocks at her at different heights. She moved forward by jumping through them and using them as stepping-stones to reach the creature. She hacked at the head and the blade did little more than leave a trail of sparks behind. "Great!" The blocks had formed a solid wall on the opposite side of the room. They shot back onto the monster as one and reformed as they had before.  
  
The girl had been forced to skip to the side to avoid it. "Now what?" A weapon wouldn't hurt that glowing energy, and she wasn't sure what it was.   
  
The creature paused under one of the flame jets and the head stone began to glow red. She smirked as she jumped into the air and hacked at it. The stone block shattered and crumbled across the ground smoking. She twisted and managed to shatter two more before the flames stopped.   
  
The creature rumbled and began to shift again.   
  
"Now what?" The spikes and flames severely limited her movement. The stone blocks had begun to spin in the air around the ball of black and white power. It swirled violently as a light blue and red iris appeared in the center of the energy.   
  
"Aw man." Ranma dashed as fast as she could away from the first block it sent flying out at her. The stones began to move faster and lash out violently slamming into walls randomly all around the room.   
  
Ranma moved as fast as she could as she flipped and juked around the mess in the air. "I can't keep this up long! Think!" She landed on her back after a particularly close call and rolled aside as another one slammed into the ground from above.   
  
The flame jets all came to life at once, and stayed on. The room had become a very dangerous oven. "Damn!" The girl was drenched in sweat and running out of options. Something clicked in her head and she frowned. "I hope this works."  
  
She pulled the bow from her back and notched an arrow. It was difficult as she jumped and ducked under a few of the blocks. Finally she started to run to the left, the arrowhead was glowing with a bright white power. The monster screeched as she let the arrow fly. It slammed into the side of the eye and flashed. The light shattered the energy and the blocks all fell to the ground from wherever they were. Ranma was spared having to dodge another one and sighed as she watched the door slide open.  
  
"This thing is enchanted. Cool." It was the bow, and not the arrows. She could tell by the intricate carvings on the wood. She hadn't really noticed them before. It was a common spell used to make expensive weapons look normal. It was protection from people like her, and she was used to seeing it. "I'm surprised it took me this long to notice. Huh."   
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Akane Tendo stood on a grassy hill under a black sky. The stars were obscured from vision by the black smoke that rose high into the air. She frowned as she watched her knights marched into the village before her. Homes burned, everything burned. The emperor was unhappy with the escape of the thieves within his camp.   
  
Her helmet was clutched at her side after a moment and she growled angrily as she watched the unfocused wrath of her master. Everything in their path would burn as they moved to the east, towards the mountains. "Damn. I can't focus."  
  
Pieces of the thief's words floated in her mind. Betrayed, murdered, without honor. Things he'd said about her father. "We're engaged." She turned her eyes towards the ground. "Why? Why? Damn." Anger welled up inside her, but she wasn't sure why. A slaughter before her, it was nothing of interest. "I need a good fight."  
  
"Not to your tastes?" asked Nabiki as she walked up behind her sister. She was dressed in a long black dress and held a crystal ball full of black light. She seemed to glide to her sister's hide.  
  
Akane snorted. "How long do you intend to hid that child from the Emperor? You're going to have to leave soon, before he notices it."  
  
Nabiki's smile faltered for the briefest of moments.   
  
"You're not the type to get sick Nabiki. My tent is right next to yours. Can't hide it with your magic?"  
  
The older woman merely smirked. "How long do you intend to hide what you know from him? Who is this other you speak of?"  
  
The girl replaced her helmet and began tightening the leather straps that held her armor in place. "I've got a battle to attend. If you'll excuse me."  
  
Nabiki's smile turned into a frown. "Damn." She turned away angrily and stormed back towards the camp. She waved her hand and a gateway of energy opened up before her. Akane had her. She could not use her secret against her. She turned her head back towards the girl. "Unfortunate that you had to discover this sister. I'll have to be rid of you now. It's too dangerous to allow you to know this. Besides, I'll need to learn that secret of yours before I'm rid of you. That will provide me some solace for your loss." She laughed to herself as the doorway closed behind her.  
  
Akane was standing at the entrance to the village. The gate burned above her as she hacked an unfortunate man in half as he charged her with a pitchfork. "I have to tell him. He's about to become a god after all. I have no choice but to follow him."  
  
Her men began to form around her as she walked through the flames, their armor keeping them protected from the heat as it cooked any of the remaining villagers enough to reduce them to running through the streets in agony. Another spray of blood too her right sent someone's head into her path. She calmly kicked it away without breaking stride and continued forward. "When it's finished burning, clear a path through the middle. We'll march through here in the morning."  
  
"Of course," replied one of the knights coldly.   
  
What did she care if her father had no honor. What honor did she have left anyway?  
  
"I want a body count and the polished skulls of everyone in the village before we report back to the Emperor. It will make a nice gift for him."  
  
+++++++++++++++++++  
  
Saffron sat on satin pillows with winged men kneeling in front of him. He was hidden behind a thin veil of white and simply sat with his eyes closed. Candles burned all around him as the two lead men glared up at him firmly. Behind each of them was ten more of the winged men, all dressed in battle armor and armed with swords and arrows.   
  
"I want them. Go, find them. Bring them back, dead or alive."  
  
"Very well."   
  
They stood up and turned, marching out of the room in file. The two lead men walked out the door and in front of the group. "Masara."  
  
"What is it?" growled the other.  
  
"I do not think the Captain was the victim of lord Herb."  
  
"Koruma..." muttered the other in a warning tone. "He never did like her much."  
  
"He respected her enough that he would not eat her. Lord Herb was anything but mad when Lord Saffron killed him. He may have killed her, but he would have left the body, and not those torn pieces we found."  
  
"The Emperor himself told us that was her fate. It is not wise to question that, not even for her."  
  
"My loyalty was with her," replied Koruma coldly. "I will discover her killer, and avenge her."  
  
"We have other matters to attend," growled Masara irritably. "You shouldn't speak of such things in front of the men. We'll discuss it later." He stormed ahead of his companion and spread his wings as he reached the edge of the camp.   
  
++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ryuu Kumon smiled as he clicked his cheek at the horses and snapped the reigns lazily. They were trotting along a beautiful road in a bright green field. The mountains ahead of them grew closer and he looked up at the sky with a wistful smile. "Sure is peaceful isn't it?"  
  
"How long do we leave them like this?" asked Mousse from his seat beside the man. Even with the glasses, all the light around him was starting to give him a headache. He had his eyes shut and seemed irritated.   
  
"You can let them out when you can open your eyes again," said Ryuu quietly.  
  
Mousse growled angrily. Shampoo would be furious with him, he couldn't risk fumbling about the cart, and he really was nearly blind with his eyes open anyway. The pain would grow quickly if he opened his eyes. "Where the hell are we?"  
  
"Its called light pass," said Ryuu cheerfully. "You're the first of your kind to ever pass this way."  
  
"Gee, I wonder why." The drow wasn't happy. "How long?"  
  
"We'll be through by tomorrow," said Ryuu cheerfully. "It never gets dark here. Not much point in stopping to camp I guess." He glanced over his shoulder and smiled at Ukyo and Shampoo.   
  
Both of them growled angrily from under the ropes and gags. They were lying on their backs and struggling with their bonds to reach the pair sitting in front of them.   
  
"Ah. This is the way to travel. No noise, no distractions..." He seemed at peace and content. "Son of a bitch."  
  
"What?" asked Mousse.   
  
"Hang on."  
  
The drow's eyes flew open as he heard the sound of a sword being drawn. "Damn!" He couldn't see more than a foot in front of his face, everything else was a bright blur. "Why did you have to come through here?"  
  
Ryuu was looking up at the sky and cutting the ropes off his prisoners. He didn't bother with the gags, but they were quickly removed as two legs slammed into his stomach. He was thrown off the cart and rolled in the field for a few yards. The horses ignored this and continued trotting lazily.   
  
"You!" snarled Shampoo as she leveled a glare at Mousse. He was actually kind of glad he didn't have to see it.   
  
"He cut you loose because we're being attacked," said the drow calmly. He pulled two curved swords out of his sleeves and jumped down after Ryuu.  
  
"Damn!" growled Ukyo as she hopped off the cart after him. "I'm gonna kick his ass when we're through!"  
  
"Attacked?" muttered Shampoo. There was nothing to attack them anywhere in sight. She turned her eyes down the road behind them and drifted her eyes towards the sky. "Oh."  
  
There were around twenty of them. They were flying in two V formations towards them. "Saffron's people! No!" She jumped off the cart and rushed towards her friends.   
  
The horses continued to trot merrily along for a few more meters and seemed to realize that no one was riding. They stopped and glanced around for a moment. After a moment, they spotted them moving away in the other direction. Both of them glanced at each other and simply stood there.   
  
Shampoo and Ukyo paused as they noticed Ryuu take up a combat stance they hadn't seen from him before. He had his broadsword held upright and simply looked up at the sky with a strange smirk on his face.   
  
"You don't look worried," commented Ukyo as she readied herself a few yards away from him.  
  
"Just stay out of the way. I haven't been riding Ranma's coattails to fame you know. I had to earn my place on this team. Before I became Dragon Ghost, I had another name."  
  
Shampoo and Mousse were just behind the two of them. "Aren't we even going to try and run?"   
  
"You don't sound concerned, but why are your eyes closed? Really Mousse," grumbled the elf girl irritably.   
  
"How many are there?" he asked simply. "I'm nearly blind anyway Shampoo. I'll do well enough without my eyes."  
  
"About fifty," commented the elven girl. "We're still out of range. It's not too late to run."  
  
"Run where?" Ukyo did not like her position at all and clutched her spear nervously. "They'd outrun us, and there are walls of solid rock on either side of us!"  
  
Ryuu seemed amused by this. "Heh. Ranma and I practice two different schools of the same art. He's not stronger than I am. You're making a big mistake by thinking that. The Black Swordsman does not run from a fight."  
  
"Oh shit," muttered Ukyo as she stepped back away from the boy and fell on her rear.   
  
Shampoo and Mousse were both surprised by this reaction.   
  
Ryuu simply pulled a short sword from his back that none of them had ever seen him use before. It was tucked sideways along the small of his back. "We can't run. The valley closes us in on all sides. I didn't think they'd bother looking for us this way."  
  
"Why try so hard to find us? We didn't get our hands on anything." Shampoo looked a little more than irritated.  
  
"They think me and Ranma have something to do with some kind of prophecy," replied the boy calmly. The flying soldiers began to dive towards them with their spears held ready.   
  
Ryuu merely gripped his swords a bit harder and looked up at them fearlessly. "Heh. Don't move."  
  
Mousse growled angrily. "I'm going to make you pay for this Kumon."  
  
"Huh?" The boy glanced over his shoulder in confusion and jumped back as the spear-wielding enemies planted themselves into the ground and took off again. The next wave was closing in fast.   
  
"This way!" The elven boy started running towards the mountains. "I know a way out of this."  
  
"You can't see you idiot! How are you going to lead us anywhere?"  
  
"There are more senses than just sight," replied the drow as he opened his eyes ever so slightly.   
  
"We should be doing something right?" Ukyo spun her spear around and swiped up at the air, forcing the next wave to back off before they reached the ground. They were forming a larger group and hovering in the air above them. Occasionally one of them would have to dodge a dropped spear as they ran after Mousse towards one of the mountains.   
  
A large ball of flames erupted from Shampoo's hands as she stopped and pointed upwards for a moment. The birdmen scattered away from the magic and fluttered about in confusion for a few moments. Dropped weapons rained down on the ground behind them. Before she had turned back, they were already diving to retrieve them.   
  
The group rushed up to a solid wall or rock, and the birdmen started laughing.   
  
"All right blind boy, if we live through this I'm gonna kick your ass for this one." Ryuu readied himself again and gripped both his swords.  
  
The blind drow snorted and put his hand on the rock surface. It slid open as a door like pattern of runes appeared.  
  
Shampoo gasped in shock and almost forgot about the enemy. "Drow!"  
  
"What is this place?" grumbled Ukyo nervously as she flashed quick glances between the door and the airborne creatures.   
  
"Home." Mousse stepped into the shadows. Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryuu all moved in behind them. The birdmen were landing on the ground behind them and rushing after them. "They won't chase us far into these tunnels. I know my way around them."  
  
Shampoo's eyes were wide as she stumbled behind Mousse. "You...you're a..."  
  
"Yes," he replied simply.  
  
"What are you doing you idiot?" Ukyo had been following the others and noticed Ryuu was still standing in the doorway with a wide grin on his face.   
  
"I told you, the Black Swordsman doesn't run from a fight. He says they won't follow us far. I'm making sure they don't follow us at all."  
  
As if in answer to the challenge, the creatures charged through the open doorway with their spears held forward.   
  
"Heh. Don't move!"  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Masara and Koruma stood back as their men moved into the cavern after the criminals. "Things seem to be going well." Masara glanced over his shoulder at his companion.   
  
The other simply fluttered his wings. "Something doesn't feel right about this."  
  
"What could go wrong?"  
  
A series of waves of solid air shot out of the cavern in a wide curving arc, along with severed pieces of their soldiers. There were also hundreds of feathers that blasted almost a hundred yards out of the cave.  
  
"Son of a bitch!" was the stereo exclamation.   
  
The stone wall slid shut and the runes protecting it glimmered for a moment before fading completely.   
  
The pair simply looked at the ground in shock with what was left of their forces. Only ten out of fifty had survived.   
  
"What was that?" muttered Masara nervously.  
  
"I'm not dumb enough to find out." His companion turned away and spread his wings. The others quickly followed.  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Ranma smirked as she glanced around the room. She had just placed a glowing crystal orb into one of five slots. The one she had just placed was glowing blue, while four others of varying colors sat in similar slots in the wall. A line of blue light formed from the wall too the floor and into a junction with lights from the other crystals. "Done."  
  
The entire wall of the circular stone room shifted to the right for about ten feet, revealing an opening in what had appeared to be a carving of a door. "Glad that's over with," she muttered as she wiped some sweat from her brow. "Now what?"  
  
The floor of the room she was in was covered in sand. It was a large round room, with no visible door. Even her entrance had vanished. "Wonder what the heck this is?" she muttered as she glanced around and did not move. "Never been here before, this might take a minute." She remained in position and glanced around cautiously. There was a single window that looked into a dark hallway at about chest height.  
  
"Great. I'll bet it's already triggered." She didn't look pleased and started to mull her problem.   
  
It was right about then that a groaning sound started from the ceiling above her.   
  
"Uh oh."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Shinnosuke frowned as he entered a long stone hallway with the children following closely behind them. The light of their wands was starting to flicker. Edmund's was fading fastest, but the other children wouldn't last much longer either.   
  
"How much further is it?" grumbled Edmund irritably.  
  
"We don't know!" snapped Susan. She was starting to get in a foul mood herself.   
  
Peter was following ahead of both of them, just behind Shinnosuke as they navigated the narrow passage. "I'm just glad those nasty things are gone."  
  
"I'm not sure how long it will take them to find us again." The eldest in the group didn't look. "I'm more worried about finding a way to get you out of here. I can worry about the monster later. I'm just hoping we don't run into it."  
  
"Right." The boy hung his head slightly and sighed. "I don't think we're leaving unless we go through whatever that thing is."  
  
"Hey dumbass! A little help here?"  
  
Everyone in the group blinked as they saw an arm sticking through a narrow opening in the wall ahead. There was torchlight coming through the small window.   
  
"What's this?" muttered Susan as she moved ahead of the group. "It's a girl!"  
  
Ranma was frowning at them from what appeared to be prison bars. "Hello! Shinnosuke, get over here and help me you idiot!"  
  
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" cried the angry looking boy as he pointed at her.   
  
"Goddamnit, not now you idiot. Just get over here and give me a hand will ya?"  
  
"Wait!" The girl with them moved to stop him as he started to walk forward. "How do you know his name? You're the one who knocked him out I'll bet! Just what are you doing down here anyway?"  
  
"Hey. You're right!" agreed Peter. The redhead turned to look at him and growled angrily. He took a step back and paused. She was a total babe. "Still, I wouldn't feel right just leaving her there."  
  
"What's wrong with her anyway?" grumbled Susan as she moved a little closer to the window. "She's perfectly fine."  
  
The redhead glanced up at the ceiling nervously. The window was low to the ground and she had to crouch to reach it. It hadn't taken her long to notice the wall had a tight spiral carved into it. The ceiling was still ten feet over her, but it was slowly pushing itself downward. The sand on the floor was also moving higher at a slow rate. She wasn't sure just how much time she had. "Crap. They're useless. Think, damn it."  
  
"I am not useless!" snapped Susan angrily.   
  
"That wasn't a very nice thing to say at all!" agreed Shinnosuke.  
  
Ranma snorted as she took her attention off her problem for a moment. "I'm so gonna kick your ass when I get out of this Shinnosuke."  
  
The man stepped back with a confused looking frown. "Wait. What's this elf girl doing here anyway?"  
  
Suzan peered through the bars a little closer. Ranma reached her arm down with amazing speed and pulled her collar. Her head fit between the bars and the trapped elf pointed up. The flat surface of the ceiling slid into a carved groove in the ceiling, revealing rows of sharp off center metal spikes. The look on the redhead's face was almost comical as the spikes slowly started to rotate. "If you're going to just stand out there get along the wall and shut up. I've got a lot to think about."  
  
Susan nodded fiercely and backed away as soon as she landed. She couldn't take her eyes off the inside of the room as the redhead searched around for the switch to turn off the trap. She seemed calm and careful as she moved her eyes across the walls inside.   
  
"What should we do?" muttered Peter dumbly. "Maybe there's a switch out here?"  
  
"Start looking! I haven't got all day for you to discuss this you know!" snapped the redhead irritably.  
  
"A strange way to ask for help!" snapped the girl as she turned her nose up. She wasn't feeling quite so sorry for her anymore. The men were all looking around at the nearby walls carefully.  
  
Ranma knew she was running out of time. The ceiling was now only a few feet above her. "Now what?" She couldn't see or feel anything inside the cell. She knew where the door was, but not how to open it."  
  
She turned her eyes towards Shinnosuke. The boy was leaning against the wall with a thoughtful frown on his face. His staff was glowing and lit up the area around him quite well. "Son of a..." The trap over her head groaned a bit and she clenched her teeth and notched an arrow in the bow she had just pulled off her back.   
  
The tip of the arrow began to glow with a bright white light as she aimed it towards him.  
  
Shinnosuke froze in place as he noticed this.   
  
Suzan turned and stared in a sort of horrified awe as the elven girl let the arrow fly and impaled it into the wall between Shinnosuke's head and his staff. The shaft of the arrow was touching his cheek and the wood.   
  
"I didn't do it! I swear!" he cried fearfully. He didn't notice the runes that had started glowing just behind his head.   
  
"You jerk! Why didn't you move!?" The wall of the hallway slid open and dumped sand onto the floor. There was a clicking sound over her head and her angry glare quickly turned into fear as she rolled out of the room and into the hallway.   
  
All of them were watching the scene dumbly as the spikes came crashing down. A heavy chain with a breakaway link at the end slid loudly into the hallway at the redhead's feet. She pushed herself off the floor and brushed the sand off her body. She then grabbed her bow and pulled the arrow out of the tiny notch in the wall. She checked them both and put them away before turning towards Shinnosuke.  
  
"What are you doing down here? Don't you know it's dangerous?!"  
  
"No. I had no idea." She hooked her fist across his jaw and kicked him in the ribs when he landed. "I don't believe this! You asked me to marry you once and you were ready to just watch me die? I should kill you just on the principal of it!"  
  
The boy staggered to his feet and blinked. "You're..."  
  
"Oh, now you remember. Tough, I said no and I meant it."  
  
The children were all staring at the scene in a sort of horrified wonder.   
  
Ranma turned her head back as if she had just realized they were there. "What the hell is this?"   
  
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" asked the girl as her cheeks flushed.  
  
"I'm a heartless mercenary that was hired to come down here and get something. I could care less whether you live or die kid. This guy was supposed to help me." She leveled a glare at him as he stood up. "He's more a liability on this job though, so I got rid of him for a little while. Well, I tried too anyway."  
  
Shinnosuke's face flushed a bit and he turned away from them. "Come on. I've got to find a way to get them out of here."  
  
"Sounds like a great idea! I'll just go find the stone and you get these kids back to safety!" The redhead smiled cheerfully and pointed down the hallway back the way they had come. "The exit is that way."  
  
"We can't go back. They don't have enough strength to make it past those wraiths again." Shinnosuke frowned and nodded in the opposite direction. "I need to find a safe place for them to rest, and an alternate exit. There's a couple down here. All of em are dangerous though, there are tons of traps."  
  
"Duh. This is a dungeon you idiot." Ranma gave a heavy sigh as she nodded. "Fine. We go this way then. Don't get in my way, I'm not looking for the exit until I finish the job."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Three children and their guide walked through a stone arched doorway into a dead end room.  
  
"Great, this is where the passage ends," grumbled Susan.  
  
"We're trapped!" cried Edmund.  
  
"I dunno, this is a pretty big room. I'm sure there's a way out somewhere." Peter seemed more reserved about rushing into the room now, but still led the group and glanced around.  
  
It was an empty dungeon room with torches lighting the cold stone walls and floors. Everything was damp and covered in lichen and mosses. The metal torch holders were all a corroded green. The room was open with stone pillars built to support the ceiling and hold the torches up. There was a stone ledge on the opposite side of the room about ten feet off the ground. Most of the pillars around it had fallen and the remains littered the ground.  
  
Ranma walked into the room behind them with her arms crossed over her chest.   
  
"Look at what?" asked Peter dumbly.  
  
Ranma paused and stared at Shinnosuke irritably.  
  
"What is this place?" muttered Susan.  
  
"It's too quiet." Edmund was shaking visibly and glancing around much more erratically than his friends.   
  
Shinnosuke moved ahead of the group as he saw a blue light shining on the other side of the room. There were several of the stone pillars that blocked his view. The torches only lit the center area of the room, leaving the edges pitch black with shadows that crawled throughout the room. Anything could be hiding within the darkness around them. "There's something over there."  
  
The children all turned their heads in unison towards the area Shinnosuke had indicated with the tip of his staff.   
  
Susan gasped as she moved ahead of the group a bit and walked into the room towards the strange light. "Lucy!"  
  
No one noticed Ranma glance around nervously and vanish from sight behind them as they rushed towards the fallen girl.   
  
"Huh?" muttered the braver of the two boys as he moved up to her side. "Look! We've found her!"  
  
"Is this what we were looking for?" asked Shinnosuke in confusion. He saw the girl lying on the stone floor bathed in the blue light. She was about twenty yards ahead of them on her back. The young girl was filthy, her blonde hair matted down and covered in filth and dirt. She was younger than the other children by about two years. Her breath was visible in the light her friends carried as her chest slowly rose and fell.  
  
"Lucy! Wake up!" cried the girl as she fell to her knees beside the child. "Come on. We've..." Her voice trailed off as she realized that the girl wasn't even stirring. "What's she doing down here? She went missing a week ago."  
  
"We should ask her." Edmund seemed quite eager to take the girl out of there. "Come on. I'm sure we can find help for her back at the school." He leaned over her and peered curiously at her. "Come on, wake up." The gentle nudging of his foot did nothing to make her stir.  
  
"Something is wrong with her. She's not moving." Peter knelt down beside her opposite Susan. "I don't think we're going to wake her up down here."  
  
"That means we may have to carry her." Shinnosuke didn't look pleased with the idea. He glanced around at the children and sighed. "What's this light anyway..." His tone trailed off as he glanced up to see a small pedestal with a blue stone sitting on it. It was little more than a pillar that had broken off at about waist level. "What's this?"  
  
Peter arched his eyebrow and left Lucy's side to gaze at the strange rock. "I dunno. We should take it with us."  
  
Shinnosuke turned to look at him for a moment. "Huh?"  
  
"Might be useful." The boy seemed to think it was perfectly reasonable.   
  
"I guess so." With a heavy sigh, the groundskeeper picked the stone up and put it into the bag at his side. He stopped cold as he realized that the shadows in the dark corner of the room directly in front of them had started to move. "Say. What's that?"  
  
Peter's eyes went wide as he stumbled back. It was a serpent as thick as a car, and it was uncoiling itself. "Oh shit."  
  
"Watch your language!" snapped Susan angrily as she covered Lucy's ears and glared up at them both.   
  
Edmund was confused by the older boy's sudden outburst. "What's up Pete?"   
  
"Don't let it look you in the eyes!" cried Shinnosuke as he pulled his bandanna around his eyes.   
  
"What?" The boy beside him staggered back over a few broken stones on the ground and almost fell on his rear.  
  
Their guide seemed completely serious once again. "If it looks you in the eyes, you'll die."  
  
"Oh. This must be the Basilisk," commented Susan. She seemed to be the calmest of the three.  
  
"We've got to get out of here!" Edmund turned to run back towards the door. "No!" The others glanced back away from the slowly awakening serpent for enough time to see what was following just behind them.  
  
"The wraiths." The crystals in Shinnosuke's staff flared a little brighter. The creatures were waiting for them just outside the door to the room. They couldn't go back, but it didn't look like the monsters were willing to enter.  
  
"Great. One big monster, or a hundred little ones." Susan was not pleased. "This is all your fault Peter!"  
  
"Um, it's awake now." Edmund's voice was wavering as he glanced back at his companions.   
  
The giant snake hissed angrily. The inside of its mouth was a bright fleshy pink, and two gigantic fangs unfolded from the roof of its mouth. It was easily fifty feet long and appeared to have a nasty temperament.  
  
"What do we do?" asked Peter as he looked at the blindfolded leader.   
  
"I'll keep him distracted, you find an exit. If we beat the snake, the wraiths will follow us in here."  
  
"Where's that elf girl?" muttered Suzan as she glanced around the room as she ran away with Edmund beside her. Both of them turned to find Peter unable to get around the battle. Shinnosuke had given the monster a few good whacks with his staff, and it seemed unwilling to do more that beat on him with its tail. The creature was massive and ripped up chunks of stone as it's coils flailed wildly about. It hissed and kept focused on Shinnosuke, but backed away slowly.   
  
Peter had backed away towards the wall and was sliding along a narrow ledge away from the fight as quietly as he could. He was trying to reach the stone ledge so he could take it past the monster to his friends. He felt himself slip as a small chuck of the ledge crumbled under his feet and clattered against the ground. It was easy enough to overstep after he'd regained his balance. A large flat ledge was just above him at the top of his dangerous path. He glanced down at the fight and gasped. Instead of a fight, his eyes fixated on the scales of the gigantic creature.   
  
He could hear the beast's breath as he felt the tongue slide along the side of his face. It split apart, with one side moving gently down either cheek. His eyes were squeezed shut as he froze in place. He could hear the moisture of the creature's mouth hitting the ground on the ground below.   
  
"Keep your eyes shut!" said a familiar voice from the opposite side of the room. Ranma was perched on top of one of the pillars that had broken near the ceiling above him. She was easily a hundred yards away and haunched low as she drew her bow. The arrow began to glow with a white light as she took aim. Peter was very fortunate his eyes were closed, because it looked like she was aiming at his face.  
  
"Oops, that was a little close," she muttered under her breath.  
  
The snake hissed as a flash of bright white light blinded it. It twisted violently away from him and landed on the ground. The elven girl appeared out of nowhere and placed her bow across her back as she landed on the falling snake and slid across his coils.   
  
"No! Lucy!" cried Susan as Edmund held her back. The monster's coils slammed into the ground where she had been lying. The redheaded girl bounced off the monster's back and landed lightly next to Susan. She pushed a block on the wall in and a twisting stairwell slid down from the ceiling. "Get out of here!" She flashed her a stern looking glare and pushed them towards it.   
  
"But Peter!" cried the girl as she looked back towards where the boy was making his way across the upper ledge in the room towards them. "He'll be right behind you! Go!" She turned away and pulled her sword from her back. "That dumbass! Now I've got to save him again."  
  
Shinnosuke was fighting a losing battle. He was covered in bruises and welts as he staggered on the stone surface and clenched his weapon a bit tighter. "I won't let you hurt..." The wraiths would not enter the room, but started to reach for him through the doorway behind him. "No!"  
  
"You jerk!" The ceiling above shattered and crashed down almost on top of him as the snake's head became buried in a pile of rubble. "Give me that rock!" The girl pulled him away from the doorway as she landed on top of the stones and grabbed his arm to pull him away from the door. The snake was still moving and would soon free itself, but it was having a bit of trouble getting unstuck.   
  
Shinnosuke wasn't in much condition to argue and reached into his bag to hand her the glowing blue stone. "I love you."  
  
"Stop that! You sick jerk! I'm tryin ta help you!" The girl kicked him in the rear towards the stairs. A low rumble started from behind them and the pair looked up as the foundation of the entire wall over the snake began to shatter away, closing the only visible entrance to the room besides the stairs. It pulled its head free and turned to spit at them angrily as the rushed away. It started moving full speed across the ground towards them.  
  
Both of them ran at a full sprint towards the stairs and dashed up into the room above them. Stepped back onto the stairs a bit and launched an arrow at the switch that opened the stairs. She rushed back up as they closed themselves back up and vanished without a trace. A dull thump hit the ground below them, and everything became quiet.   
  
"Where are we?" muttered Suzan nervously after a few moments. They stood around gasping for breath mostly. Susan was laid gently across the ground at their feet.  
  
"We're in the Lav," said Edmund.   
  
A bell rang and bustle began from the hallway outside. A group of about ten girls all talking to each other walked into the room. One by one they all froze at the scene before them.  
  
"I'm going to talk to that old wizard and get paid. See you around Shinnosuke." The redhead vanished from sight. It caused another gasp within the group, but only a momentary surprise.   
  
"What just happened?" asked Edmund dumbly.  
  
"Peter just stood face to face with a Basilisk, and lived." Susan looked rather bewildered and turned her eyes down to her clothes. All of them were a complete mess. "Look at me!"  
  
"Yeah. I did, didn't I?" said Peter cheerfully. He looked quite pleased with himself. "I also fought a giant spider!" He seemed quite proud of himself.  
  
"You dumbass! Do you realize we could have been killed? What were you thinking?!" She promptly slugged him and he fell to the ground out cold.   
  
"I thought running away was a good idea!" muttered Edmund fearfully as he put his hands up to defend himself. She glared at him, but stomped through the crowd of dumbstruck girls. Edmund shrugged as Shinnosuke picked up Susan from the ground. "What the heck were we doing down there anyway?" He glanced over his shoulder as he went through the door and decided it probably wasn't that important. Everything seemed to be fine now.  
  
With a heavy sigh Edmund went over to the sink to fill his hands with water. He didn't feel like dragging his friend out of there. The girls were starting to look impatient as well.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
"Here's your stupid rock."  
  
"Ah. I thought it might be you. I trust the children are all safe?"  
  
"Still not sure what's wrong with that girl. The others are all alive though, nothing is broken."  
  
The old man hadn't seen her yet, but the stone was sitting on his desk casting a pale blue glow on everything around it. "So I see. The girl saw the Basilisk's reflection. It was enough to paralyze her. Those are strange creatures indeed. They only eat dead meat, and won't bite anything despite the highly toxic venom they secrete. Thanks to that class you stumbled across earlier, we have a healthy supply of antidote. Fate can be fortuitous at times."  
  
"I know what they are," grumbled the hidden girl. The room was rather dark, and well suited to someone who liked to hide in shadows. A small fire in the fireplace was the only light source besides the stone. Stacks of books and shelves filled the room opposite the desk. There were also tables with strange chemistry sets and other assorted objects. "Pay me, so I can leave. I'm sure you understand my impatience."  
  
"Yes. Our kind bothers you for some reason."  
  
"Only in large numbers," replied the girl coolly. He caught the briefest of glimpses as she moved near the window in the darkness. She was gone just as quickly.   
  
"I can see how you got your name, young elf."  
  
"Thanks. I kind of like you old man, but I don't trust your friends much."  
  
"Shinnosuke will always have a place to stay here. I imagine he will forget about you again in a few days at most. Perhaps the right girl might find him?"  
  
"Pay me." It was clear she was getting impatient.  
  
"You must travel to the south, with your companions."  
  
"Where? Why?"  
  
"It won't be an easy journey, you'll have to cross the southern seas to Jusendo, or rather the mountains near it."  
  
"Saffron's homeland? What's there?"  
  
"In the mountains you will find a cavern, inside an ancient evil is imprisoned. It will give you the knowledge you need to defeat Saffron. First, you must perform a task for him."  
  
"A task?" grumbled the girl irritably.   
  
"He will give you a challenge, if you pass, then you will begin to understand. This power alone will not destroy Saffron, but it is the first step."  
  
"I don't care about Saffron," growled the voice from the shadows.   
  
"If you continue down this path, you will find what you want."  
  
"I'd better. I won't be happy if I find out I'm being toyed with."  
  
"Boy, do you still not understand?" The old man stood up and walked right up to his face. "I can see the dead more clearly than the living. You cannot hide from my eyes boy. It is a rare gift for my kind, try not to look so panicked." He chuckled in a good-natured way at the startled reaction.   
  
"What don't I understand?" Ranma dropped her cloak and stood fearlessly in front of him.   
  
"We are not toying with you boy. We are relying on you. You are our only hope. Saffron's rise to godhood will not benefit many in this world besides his own people. Many will suffer and die, and a new age of darkness and war will begin."  
  
"Sounds good for business."  
  
"Is that truly where your heart lies?" he asked her calmly. "I have told you what you need to know. You will find your friends in the mountains west of here. I think you already know the place."  
  
"The only thing in those mountains is..." Her eyes went wide and she gasped. "He wouldn't! That asshole!" She glared up at the old man. "Any help getting there will be appreciated."  
  
"I was hoping you'd say that."  
  
"I'd better not hear anyone talking about this old man."  
  
"Do not worry." He walked her over to the fireplace and smiled as he tossed a handful of powder into the flames. Ranma nodded and dove into the green flare up of fire. She vanished in an instant and was gone from the office.   
  
Shinnosuke burst into the office just after that. "Is Ranma still here? I've got to tell her that I love her!"  
  
"I'm afraid you've just missed her. Perhaps we should have a talk, about the difference between elves and people."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I think I can create a charm that will help you remember these things. It may take a little while though. Why don't you return to bed, and I'll get back to you when I've finished." The old man gently took his shoulder and led him to the door.   
  
"Oh. Thanks." He stumbled away scratching his head. "What the heck did I come here for?"  
  
The old man closed the door and turned back towards his office with a small smile on his face. "The time of prophecy draws near. Perhaps there is a bit more hope than I once imagined."  
  
++++++++++++++++++++++++++  
  
Next time: Pirates of the Southern Seas! 


	22. Chapter 22

Just to prove I'm still writing-  
Hi. Been a while since I put anything out. My old PC kinda died. I spent the last few years sitting in my cave in front of the fire grunting. I haven't written in a while, and anything I had was consumed by my old PC's aging HD. All of my ways to get stuff out died before it did.

Don't worry, Insertion's big ending is beginning to stir in the back of my mind, but I need to sharpen my claws a bit.

The Dragon and the Ghost

Part 22

Pirates of the Southern Seas.

Ranma Saotome stormed out of a small hovel grumbling to herself in anger as she dusted soot off her arms. "Stupid wizard, tryin to ruin a good shirt." She noted her surroundings and paused for a moment in surprise. She looked at the dirt and frowned as she pressed a rather mundane looking gold ring against her forehead. "Let darkness be my light." She moved forward a bit slower and glanced around the neighborhood in front of the home.

"Hail. Young one, a dark light shines within you." An old voice rang up from beside her and the redhead stopped cold in her tracks.

"One that shines in the deepest darkness," she replied as she turned to look back a smile on her face. Her eyes had a soft golden glow from her irises.

Another pair just like hers peered back from the shadowy corner of the doorway. She could see the old drow man sitting against the wall with an unlit pipe in his hand. He struck a match and puffed on it for a moment as he leaned forward and put his wrist against his back. "I've heard a human came through one of our gates on light pass. I assume that's what the hurry is about. Had a few others with him as well. Ain't seen much of em. My guess, Ilpalazzo."

The redhead rolled her eyes. "Uhg. Great." She flipped him a coin from the small purse at her side as she started walking away muttering in irritation. "That dope. I'll kill him."

"Hail Ilpalazzo!" was the sort of stereo response. Excel raised her arm and puffed out her chest in the presence of her lord and master. Beside her, a blood soaked arm raised in salute from the ground.

A rather bored looking drow sat looking down at her without much emotion. "Report?" He was sitting on a throne what appeared to be a cavern converted into a throne room.

"Excel endured many hardships on this mission! She bravely ventured forth into danger and horrible torture to carry out her beloved Lord Ilpalazzo's every command! She attempted to complete her goal, but was captured! Her captors beat upon Excel while Ha-chan evaded detection by being dead."

"A most excellent ploy." Ilpalazzo eyed the body lying on the ground next to his henchman with his eyes softening a little.

Excel noticed this and twitched for a moment before she continued her story. "After her capture, Excel was thrown into a pit with no food or water. The emergency food supply seemed to be fortuitous thinking, when Excel was suddenly saved, and nearly drowned in a flash flood. Thoughts of failure, and a displeased frown on Lord Ilpalazzo's incredibly handsome features drove Excel onward, and she attacked her captors and was promptly thrown back into the pit. This time with a ball and chain on her leg to keep her from swimming out again. Fortunately, Excel was ravenous with hunger and ate her way through her bonds!" She seemed quite pleased with her self and bounced in place for a moment as she spoke. "After her second miraculous escape, the enemy stopped trying to capture her, and simply tried to kill her. She fought onward for the honor and glory of ACROSS and Lord Ilpalazzo!"

The drow frowned at her again and shifted in his seat for a moment. The time for her to stop talking had long since passed, and she'd yet to realize it. He reached up to grab the rope that hung just beside his throne.

"Hello Ilpalazzo."

Excel had noticed her masters pose and was frozen in place. Her head jerked back at the new group of people in the hallway just outside the room. Her master had yet to react or move and looked a little slack jawed at the man who strolled in with his arms spread in a rather open gesture. She breathed a small sigh of relief and relaxed her arms. Her master seemed to have forgotten about her punishment. "Whew. That was a close one..."

"Been a long time. How've you been?" The human seemed cheerful a little too cheerful.

"Ryuu? What brings you?" The drow male pulled himself from his seat with the rope and Excel dropped into a trap door under her feet.

He strolled down to meet the man and frowned at him as he drew near. The drow simply waited at the bottom of the stairs to his throne with his robes hiding his posture from view. "What brings you? The rest of you can stop hiding in that hallway now. I am drow and I can see you quite well." He reached down and took a few crumpled pages from the blood soaked hand that reached up beside him.

"Trouble with your servants?" Ryuu didn't look very interested in discussing it at length.

"She's allergic to air." He pulled the pages inside his large cape and frowned at the man who dared come so close to him.

The young drow girl seemed to be recovering and the pair turned towards the approaching party.

"My, an elven princess in F. Imagine that? Tell me what you've been up..." Ilpalazzo's face fell as he stared at Mousse and stopped speaking. "Ryuu, tell me. What are you doing here?"

"You know this guy?" Ukyo didn't seem pleased with the situation. She wasn't sure how much she trusted the drow boy beside her. The Dwarf she could count on, but he only seemed interested in keeping the elf girl happy and safe. A little too much for her liking actually. Ryuu was much more dangerous than she had anticipated as well. She found that fact comforting in a strange way.

"We've met." Ryuu was eying the man while his head was turned away with a strange grin. "See something that interests you?"

Mousse didn't look very comfortable with the stare he was getting. Shampoo was silent and almost dead to the world around her. She wasn't showing any emotion and appeared to be taking in everything around her as best she could. It was obvious she was terrified and trying her best not to show it. "What are you staring at?"

"Can you answer me that yourself boy?" The drow man's lip turned up for the briefest of moments as he turned back towards Ryuu. "Introductions can wait. What do you want Ryuu? I'm growing tired of asking."

"Safe passage to the north gates. Ranma isn't around, and I'm stuck with the mob."

"Stop calling us that!" snapped Ukyo. She was holding her spear rather tight and it didn't seem wise to bother her. She was feeling pretty upset with someone at the moment. "Ranma! What kind of man have you become! The Black Swordsman?"

"A pity." Ilpalazzo seemed a little disappointed to hear that.

"Make that the Southern Gates, actually." A familiar female voice echoed through the cavern as a pair of glowing eyes appeared behind Ryuu's head, floating in the air and bloodshot with anger.

Everyone in the room froze as Ryuu fell to the ground quite suddenly. Ranma was glaring at him as she appeared standing over him with her sheathed sword still held in the swing that had knocked the boy over. She kicked him in the ribs and frowned as she glared at the drown in front of her with her sword resting on her shoulder in it's sheath. She glanced up at the drow and sighed. "Don't say a word. I can take care of this without you. Sorry for the inconvenience. That idiot."

"You have something I want." Ilpalazzo frowned at her and stared her down.

"I told you what would happen if you bothered me about with that again. Don't take my warning lightly." she snorted and cracked her knuckles for a moment.

Shampoo was watching the redhead with even wider eyes. "It's not possible..." Her eyes were glowing as Mousse's were, and every other drown in the room. It had been like a trip through a nightmare just to reach where she was with all those glowing eyes all around her.

"Not so attractive now?" Mousse seemed pleased and irritated at the same time.

"No. She is not drow. I can feel her connection to nature."

"You cannot feel it with me?" His voice tensed as he asked her.

"No. I always assumed you were...removed from it. It does happen to elves on occasion."

Mousse didn't move or respond. He glanced over to see Ranma speaking with the drow they had met with Ryuu. The servant still in the room seemed to be recovering and was on her knees and looking about. They seemed to be wrapping things up and he cursed himself for getting distracted and missing it.

"That's not what I mean." Ranma noticed that Ilpalazzo had moved so that his back was to Shampoo and Mousse.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "So long as it doesn't interfere with the job. What do you want?"

"The Prince, he remembered how to find this place."

"You sure?" The redhead glanced over the man's shoulder and smirked. He was busy talking to the elf girl. Ryuu was starting to stir on the ground between them and she kicked him again to put a stop to it.

"Ryuu cannot open one of our doors. I was wondering how he got here in the first place, until I noticed him."

"He remembers then." Ranma took a small glance over her shoulder with a smirk at the drow boy in her group.

"Yes. I am very curious to know what has kept him away so long."

"Good to know, I had him figured for lost. I suppose it makes us all do strange things." Shampoo should be dead if what she knew of Mousse's duties to be true.

"What's that?" Ilpalazzo seemed confused and annoyed.

"Nothing." Her face fell as she seemed to remember who she was talking to. Her voice dropped as she gave the man a small grin. "I'm leaving now. I've got a job to do, and I don't mind losing a useless tag along if you catch my drift. I'll be needing to do something about it sooner or later anyway."

"I see." He nodded and turned back towards the throne.

Ranma turned to face the rather surprised and irate looking group behind her. She hung her shoulders a little and sighed for a moment. As she drew closer to them, her smile grew stranger and more confident with each step. Her eyes appeared wild as she gazed at them with a glassy eyed stare. "Ha...hehheh."

"Why are you looking at us like that?" Ukyo didn't look pleased or fearful.

"Heh. You'll see, soon enough. We're leaving now, come on Ryuu."

The man in question was just pushing himself off his rear. He glanced at the sick looking drow and sighed as he shook his head. "Asshole."

She gave him a small grin and raised her hand in a grim and cheerful gesture.

"What am I doing here?" Akane Tendo glared at herself in the mirror in her tent. The battle was long since over and her troops were returning home with those of her father. Both of their campaigns had been successful, and Akane had a large bag of polished skulls as a gift for her master. Saffron would ascend into godhood soon, and she would be...what? There was unfinished business at hand, and she had no idea where to start looking. It was frustrating her to no end and she stared daggers into her own reflection. "I must find him." Her gaze changed as she seemed to look at herself a little closer. Nabiki was scheming against her now as well. She had no doubt that her sister wanted to be rid of her.

"What do I do?" Saffron's High Priestess was a dangerous enemy, and she could become more dangerous after his accent. She felt trapped, cornered, just as much as in that cave. "There's no where to run. I want to finish it before I die."

She turned away and paused as she noticed her father in the doorway to her tent. "Are you feeling well daughter? You seem to be acting odd lately."

"I'm leaving. Where is the nearest town?"

"Is something wrong?" The man seemed alarmed and grabbed her by her shoulders and forced her in front of him.

She looked away from him and at the ground in frustration. "I'm fine. I have something I need to finish. It's going to bother me until I do."

The man stepped back and nodded. "I see."

She walked by and grabbed her sword by the tent flap before pausing halfway out. "Father?"

"Yes?"

She glanced back at him for a moment. "Who is Ranma Saotome?"

She had all of his attention and he pulled himself up to his full height with a strange angry glare in his eyes. "Where did you hear that name?"

She looked away and walked off without another word. "So. It's true then." As she exited her tent she turned and glared at the two sullen beast men standing guard just outside her tent. "Lime, Mint, we are leaving."

The two sullen beast-men lurched after her at a somewhat lazy pace. It was obvious both of them were unhappy. Akane would be a decent master, but she wasn't one of them either. They had expected to spend their lives with their master, as their parents before them did. They had failed in their duty to Herb and his line, and shamed their ancestors.

Mint clapped his companion on the back as he noticed Akane moving ahead of them a little to much. "Come on. I've a feeling we're gonna be gone for a while this time. Might be nice."

"Heh. Yeah." Lime straightened up a bit and picked up his pace to catch up to them.

A short time later...

"F! Are you dense?" Ranma was walking down a long empty tunnel and chewing Ryuu out as the group trailed just behind them. "I give you an elven princess, tell you to take her someplace safe, and you take her to F! What the hell is wrong with you!"

Ryuu didn't look happy, but the pair hadn't resorted to blows just yet either. "She's fine isn't she? Look, your girlfriend is safe and everything! You know she can't get hurt with me around! I know the mission okay!"

"What's this? A lover's spat?" Mousse seemed more annoyed than anything else.

"Better not let them hear you say that." Shampoo glanced back at him with a little annoyance in her voice.

"They don't scare me." He puffed himself up a bit and looked a little annoyed with the idea.

"They should. Not even I would try and stand against the Black Swordsman." Ukyo didn't look at either of them as she said it and continued on as they froze in confusion.

Mousse shrugged at the elven girl's confused frown.

Their guides were still arguing as they walked just ahead of them. "Wait!" She rushed up to the knight's side and walked beside her. Mousse kept up just behind them and watched their backs.

"What do you mean? What's the big deal about..."

"Five thousand men fell at Ahlen's Keep. The siege lasted only four hours."

"So?" Mousse didn't seem impressed.

"Those soldiers faced only one boy."

The pair of elves both glanced at the man in question's back and the two swords that hung there.

"There are other stories, a child warrior and mercenary who slaughtered uncountable numbers of men at battles all across this land. About three years ago, the stories stopped, or so I thought." She found herself gripping the plates of armor on her shoulders and forced herself to let go.

"What do you mean thought?" asked Shampoo in confusion.

"They simply changed into stories of the Dragon Ghost. I'm not a fool, but I have been blinded by the feelings from my youth far to long." The stare she was giving the redhead was not a loving gaze by any stretch.

"Giving up?" asked the elven girl with a strange smirk on her face.

"I'll decide that when I find out who he really is." She made it clear that she was finished talking as she sped up her pace a little to put some distance between them.

"Great." She glanced back at Mousse for a moment and he started to pick up his pace towards her. "Stay back. I'm afraid I don't trust you alone down here. I'll kill you if you get to close." Her stare was hard and firm when she finished speaking and turned away.

He clenched his fist and growled as he stared at the ground in frustration. He had spent his life protecting her, he'd do anything to keep her happy. She couldn't trust him? Why not?

Ranma narrowed her eyes as she stopped walking and turned to face them with her finger up to her lip. "Company ahead."

Ryuu didn't seem worried and snorted. "So what?"

"We are in what could be considered 'hostile territory'. I'd rather not piss of the locals and have to hack my way out of here."

"I agree." Ukyo stepped forward and gave them both a serious looking frown. "You made some sort of deal didn't you?"

"Huh?" The redhead turned to face her with a nervous looking grin. "What makes you say that?"

She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him close to her. "What did you do?"

"Nothing. They're just going to try and kidnap Mousse here later. No big deal."

"What?" The knight was furious and slugged her across her jaw. "You...you..."

"What!" Ranma sat up with wide eyes. "Look, it's not that big a deal. He's just a tag along and he's on his own. I don't need him and he's gonna get in the way sooner or later. My job is her and that staff."

"What does that make me then?" She was staring down at him with her fist clenched down. Everyone else was standing around them watching.

"I also agreed to help your queen if I could. Like I said, after this mess is over, you can have the stupid staff if you need it. Once I deliver, you do as you please." Ranma was returning her stare and seemed much more cautious as she put a short distance between them. "I don't like having him along much, and he can stay as long as he's useful. I wouldn't worry about him, I know what's coming and, unfortunately, he can handle it no problem."

"What would you know of what I can handle?" Mousse stepped forward and with his chest puffed out. "I should kill you for what you've done!"

Ranma put her arm across his shoulders and shook him a bit. It threw him off for a moment and she poked him in the chest. "Trust me, you've got nothing to worry about."

"You've put Shampoo in danger!"

"Nah." She strolled forward with a different swagger about her and chuckled to herself in an odd way. Ryuu jumped off the wall he was leaning against. He looked like he just remembered something that made him really nervous. Ukyo and Shampoo stepped back a little. She didn't sound normal.

"Is Ranma all right?" Ukyo turned towards Ryuu and he rushed up to the redhead's side.

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea..." The swordsman put his arm across her shoulders and walked with her. "I mean, I don't think the knight can take it. We should find..."

"Another way to Jusendo?" Ranma seemed to be enjoying annoying him.

"What? Jusendo? That would take weeks!"

"Aye, it would." She nodded with a menacing smirk.

"Why?" He gripped her a little tighter in an implied threat.

"There's something there we'll need."

"What's that?" he asked her with his voice tensing a little more.

"Don't know, all I have is a map."

"Can I see it?"

"No, I've got it up here." She poked her finger on her temple and chuckled again. "We have to go. That's about all I can tell you." She strolled forward and chuckled to herself.

"Something has put her in a good mood." Ukyo frowned at her two companions, Ryuu and Ranma tended to stay a few paces ahead of them when they were together. Ranma was taking the lead and Ryuu didn't look happy. In fact, he looked mortified with terror.

"Um, I'm not about to ask. Ranma is acting very strange." Shampoo looked to be feeling a bit better since the redhead showed up.

A short distance ahead...

"Heh. Excel lies in silent wait of her prey!" The girl was leaning against a rock and drooling as she waved a sword about over her head. She had a small dog tied to her head that seemed to be holding on in silent suffering.

Beside her, a young drow girl with a pale complexion and a soft raspy voice glanced up at her. She looked more like she was using the rock to hold herself up. "Senior Excel, what is it we are doing again?" A light trickle of blood was running out of the corner of her mouth.

"Ha-chan! It is very important to remember our duty to ACROSS and Lord Ilpalazzo! We must wait here, and capture the lost prince at any cost! We must not fail in our sacred duty! My beloved Lord Ilpalazzo! Excel may be forced to accidentally on purpose kill the object of your affection! She will gladly open her arms to comfort you in your time of need! For in order to fulfill her mission, she will no doubt be forced to cut down, and maim, and crush the evil harlot, Lord Ilpalazzo loves so much! Though Lord Ilpalazzo may never forgive her for such actions, she lives with the hope he shall be merciful with his faithful Excel, and see fit to grant her..."

"Hi Excel."

"What the hell is this?" The drow prince walked up to the redhead who was watching the drow girl's speech with a wide grin on her face.

"It is Excel's prey!" She pointed at Mousse and laughed out loud as the rest of the group walked up. Ryuu had passed by already and ignored the scene. He stopped when he realized everyone else had and was leaning against the wall again.

Ukyo noticed the other drow was lying on top of the rock with blood seeping down to the cave floor from her face. She walked closer and poked the back of her head. "Are you all right?"

The head sat up and coughed, spraying the unfortunate knight's face with blood and spit. "I'm...fin..." Her head hit the rock again with a dull thud.

The knight shrieked in shock and revulsion as she jumped back away from the pair.

"Come on Ha-chan! We must complete our mission for Lord Ilpalazzo and ACROSS!" Excel gave her friend's body a hearty slap on the back before grabbing her limp hand and pulling her off the rock and onto her face. "Ha-chan! This is no time to be dead! Cruel fate! Excel must now complete this most dangerous assignment all alone!" She walked up to Mousse and grabbed him by the arm meaning to pull him back to her master.

"What the hell are you doing?" he frowned at her as she simply kicked up dust in her efforts. He wasn't moving.

"Hmm, it seems the task is more difficult than Excel anticipated!"

"Why are you wearing a dog?" Shampoo couldn't contain herself and walked up closer to them.

"You won't stop Excel from completing her mission!" The drow girl held her sword up with her free hand.

Mousse was about to clock her when the elf girl spoke up.

"You can have him if you want. That's just really weird."

"This is Menchi! Excel's emergency food supply! You'll have to excuse us, we have a mission to complete here."

"We? She's dead!" Ukyo was still trying to wipe her face off enough to satisfy herself she was clean. She pointed at the other drow's body.

"I told you we didn't have anything to worry about." Ranma started walking down the tunnel with her hands in her pockets. She seemed satisfied with the events.

Excel was about to turn the sword on Mousse when he belted her across her skull one good time and sent her down. "I suppose I shouldn't be to angry with him then. Still, the principal..."

"I don't care if you like him." Shampoo shrugged and started after the others.

"Gross!" Ukyo was still wiping off her face. "When is this stupid tunnel gonna end anyway."

"Just ahead!" called back Ranma. She turned forward again and chuckled to herself. "I can smell it, we're drawing near..."

"Please reconsider. She'll try and kill you if you do this."

Ranma was ignoring Ryuu's pleas. "The sea." She was almost stumbling at this point and rather looked like a sailor fresh off the boat from a long voyage.

"What's wrong with him?" Ukyo was eying Ranma as she walked up to Ryuu. She didn't look like she wanted to speak with her.

"You'll find out. We're going to Jusendo."

"That's across the sea! Are we going to charter a ship?" She didn't look pleased. "Why are we going into the lions den? Jusendo belongs to the Emperor, more so than the rest of his empire, it's his home."

"Don't know. This is her show, and I'm smart enough to believe her when she says we're going." He looked like he just broke down for a moment and shook his head. "Damn. Look, maybe you shouldn't do this. We'll be back, our business is still here."

"What?" She frowned at him and furrowed her brow.

Ranma was having trouble standing up strait and was muttering to herself as she continued to stumble forward. It was almost like she was drunk, or fresh off a long sea voyage. "I can smell it. The sea..." Her eyes were glassy and she leaned against the wall for a moment peering out the exit to the cavern as it slid aside in front of her. "Heh." A flash of lightning lit the doorway as the sound of water pouring onto the ground filled the narrow passage.

"Go back, or you may not be able to stay a knight. If you continue now, don't say I didn't warn you." He turned away and rushed after Ranma. She was stumbling out the entrance to the cave into a torrential downpour.

Ukyo glanced back at Mousse and Shampoo as they passed by. She clenched her fist and strolled after them. "You're not leaving me behind." She had a night to think it over anyway. There was no way they were sailing in this weather.

The Port City of Furinkan...

It was a wet miserable evening. The rain had stopped, but it was not to last. Black ominous clouds filled the sky in the distance, blocking out the sunset completely. Angry lightning flashed in the distance, weather no sailor would be caught dead in if a port could save him the risk.

The taverns were busy, and bustling with nervous chatter as the men drinking inside spoke of storms of the past. It was a night for drinking and remembering friends lost, and daring escapes from the jaws of such weather. Most of it touted as a 'hunred tines worse'!

The bartender was in a more cheerful mood than usual. His business was booming, and it would be dishonest to say he didn't look forward to such weather. He still towered over his bar with a sour frown gazing into the establishment with one glass eye staring off towards the doorway. A piano played a merry tune just under the loud chattering and laughter of drunken sailors. His brow furrowed as he turned towards the swinging doorway and the storm outside.

The doors swung open and a figure strolled in with a black hood pulled down over her features. She was wearing a sword and stood there for a moment as the lightning flashed angrily behind her. She strolled inside and moved up to the counter placing a single gold coin on the counter. "Rum. The whole bottle."

A group walked in behind her, most of them looked nervous. The swordsman walked forward and took the bottle after the hooded figure poured herself a glass and knocked it back. He pulled a swig from the bottle itself and tossed it to Ukyo. "You'll be needing that I think."

She frowned at him and stayed near the door leaning against the wall as she took a drink.

"What be yer business here?"

"Sailing for Jusendo." She smiled at him as he filled her glass again. The coin more than paid for the bottle. She could have gotten a case for as much.

There was a roar of laughter from the sailors and she glanced back at them all.

There was a collective gasp from the men and they all went dead white and silent.

Ukyo stood up in alarm halfway through another gulp from the bottle. Shampoo and Mousse were standing next to her now and watching the events unfold. "What's going on here?"

"Blue eyes! Did ya see that?" muttered one of the men in earshot.

The bartender seemed to grow more cautious as he poured her next drink. "There be no sailing from this port tonight. In the morning..."

"I don't need a charter, and I sail tonight. See to it that you inform the magistrate of it."

"Damn it Ranma..." Ryuu looked annoyed.

"Of what?" The bartender snorted and continued to clean his glass until she looked up at him. The man jumped back in terror and knocked a few bottles out of the rack behind him.. She pulled back her hood and every man in the bar was on his feet.

"It's her!" gasped on near to the party in horror. "Captain Scarlet!"

Shampoo's eyebrow arched a little in surprise. "Never a dull moment."

"I'll say," agreed Mousse. "Too much if you ask me."

"I didn't."

"Captain Scarlet?" Ukyo was shaking and pale as a ghost. "Ranma! How could you?"

The redhead seemed to be enjoying herself quite a bit as she knocked back another. The bartender dropped the bottle as her glass clicked on the counter top. "Come on. We sail for Jusendo."

"Now? Are you crazy?" cried the Knight as she glanced over her shoulder and out the door.

"We'll be fine." Captain Scarlet strolled outside into the angry darkness with a nervous party following after them. There would be no sailing from this port tomorrow either.

Ukyo hung back and looked back at the horrified sailors. They were muttering and disoriented still. She could hear many familiar tales being told at once.

"The Queen of Pirates, Captain Scarlet of the Scarlet Rose. Said to be crewed by demons that leave no survivors behind in their raids."

She rushed out the door and saw them walking along a lone empty pier out over the increasing anger of the water.

The redhead smiled as she held up her hand and stretched out her fingers over the swirling torrent. Ryuu was the only one who didn't stumble back as the sea began to boil and a sick green glow began to shine from deep below.

Ukyo screamed as the hull of a doomed ship blasted up from the waters below. The wood looked rotted and waterlogged, the scarlet sails hung in tatters from the mast and the sound of drum beats and voices of sailors working to bring the ship into port. "What the hell?"

A rotted looking plank came down from the deck and Ranma smiled at her in a most disturbing way. She started singing a merry and grizzly song as she strolled up the deck. "What indeed? Yo ho, yo ho, a pirates life for me! We pillage, we plunder, we riffle, and loot! Drink up me hearties ho ho! We kidnap, and ravage and don't give a hoot! Drink up me hearties yo ho!"

Ukyo staggered to her feet as she watched the others pass by her onto the boat. Shampoo looked a bit pensive, and Mousse wasn't happy. It was obvious he was moving because of her. Ryuu strolled up the ramp and glanced down at her. "Still coming?"

She pushed herself back to her feet and glared at him. "I...have my orders."

"Your call." He strolled up the plank and was greeted by a cheer much to large for the people she'd seen climb the plank yet again.

She could hear the crew welcoming their captain with a cheerful hearty roar. Shampoo could be heard screaming amongst the uproar. She steeled herself and made her way up the plank.

She walked onto the deck paying attention to her footing more than where she was going and stopped. As she looked up her eyes went wide. Around fifteen skeletons dressed in tattered and waterlogged scraps of cloth that had once been sailors clothes. Her heart skipped a beat and she turned back towards the plank, only to find it gone, and the pier moving away towards the rear of the ship.

"You'd best get clear of that railing and get below. She won't sink, but these be rough seas. I'd rather not part with my ship to get you back from, Captain Jones."

Ukyo whirled around and stared in horror at the storm they were approaching.

"Don't worry. This ship is something we got as payment for a job a while back. When things get to hot for us, we go to sea for a while." Ryuu walked up beside her.

Mousse was holding Shampoo over his shoulder and glared at his host in annoyance. "Can we get someplace dry?" It was starting to rain.

Ryuu sighed and motioned for them to follow. "Yeah. Captain's cabin isn't so bad really."

Ukyo growled at this as the skeletons rushed about preparing to sail the rough seas ahead. One of them turned towards the redhead who was now standing at the wheel with a crazed look in her eyes as she steered for the worst looking path she could find. "We be headin for rough seas then?"

"Aye," said the elven captain as her lips turned up.

"What about her?" Ukyo frowned at Ryuu as he pushed her towards the doors to the captain's quarters.

"She's the Captain. She'll be fine. Don't worry so much, nothing on board this ship can hurt you. It's best to just let her be when this happens."

"Every time you go to sea?" Ukyo allowed herself to be forced into the cabin with Shampoo and Mousse.

Ryuu snorted and sat down at a large table filled with a rather lavish meal. The room was well lit, and seemed to be full of pillows and comfortable places to sleep. "You'll be sleeping in here with us. It's the only place on the ship that's...hospitable for the living."

"So we should avoid the lower decks then?" Shampoo arched her eyebrow a little.

"If you don't want to spend too much time around the men. You won't die, but I wouldn't count on getting much sleep. It's a bit damp. The ship is old, and it leaks." Their host was munching on an apple and put his other arm behind his head as he leaned back.

The knight stared at the table for a moment and frowned. "Where did this come from?" She remembered the ship's rather dramatic entrance quite well.

Shampoo was eating a few small fruits and berries from a bowl as she sat down to Ryuu's right. Mousse took up a seat beside her and picked at a roast pork.

"I've seen spells that will set up a room like this. Shouldn't be very difficult for someone who could make a ship like this." Shampoo seemed to be enjoying herself. "I've never seen undead before. Gave me quite a start."

"I'll say." Ukyo seemed irritated by her cheerfulness.

"Relax and eat. We'll be through the storm by the time you wake up tomorrow. You'll be safe in here. I'll take the wheel from Ranma for a while when things calm down. She'll get bored and want some sleep herself once the sea calms." Ryuu closed his eyes and leaned his head back to catch a little sleep himself.

"Right. I'm on board a pirate ship full of undead and you want me to sleep?" She glared at the food for a few moments before breaking down and helping herself. It wasn't that she didn't trust the meal, but her view of her situation had changed. She looked at the doorway and furrowed her brow as she bit into the leg of a chicken. "How much can I trust you?"

"How quaint." Tatewakii Kuno frowned at the heavily cloaked woman riding beside him and frowned at her reaction.

"Most unfortunate it is here that my beloved has chosen to await her beloved. Surely, she would not seek refuge to await her hero, after her glorious victory for the empire has been secured, in this wretched hive of scum and villany..."

"Get to the point brother dear." The girl glanced over at him from the folds of her cloak. She seemed cheerful, but her eyes were bloodshot.

"This place is more dangerous than even she is aware. I feel I must hasten to wed her in the local chapel, before we are noticed."

"I think we should take it somewhere else." She just wished the stupid trollop would hurry up and marry the moron. Maybe then he wouldn't be around so much, and she seemed to enjoy hurting him. It wouldn't be so bad.

"Hmmm. Perhaps that would be best. Come, we must hasten to my beloved's side!"

"Ahem. We?" The girl was holding her hand against her chest and shook her head. "I only need to see her...Oh, bother..." While she was looking at her brother, she realized that there was little chance of him coming back with Akane Tendo.

"Yes, sister?" Kuno looked a little miffed.

"I do have to go, how disgusting! She's leaving by ship."

"What? Nabiki Tendo predicted no such thing! I am destined to be hers by birthright!"

Kodachi snarled at her brother as her eyes grew even more bloodshot. "Do not compare me to that witch!"

"Who are you to..." Her brother seemed to realize that it was time to stop talking as his sister's hand came alive with energy.

"I am a sorceress brother. See that you do not forget. My gift is natural, it is in my blood."

"Magic is magic dear sister. I care not for such musings."

"Yes. I noticed that about you."

"Then this discussion should end. I have matters to attend."

She electrocuted him with an arc of power from her palm and rode away as if nothing had happened. A sigh escaped her lips as her shoulders hung a bit lower. "Oh well. It has been a while since I've seen him after all. You'd better be worth all this trouble, Akane Tendo." She wasn't planning on enjoying her encounter with the brutish knight much.

Akane Tendo found herself standing in the morning sun with her eyes half open. She was wearing her armor and looked almost comical as she dragged herself to the group of soldiers that surrounded the outside of her hotel. It was about six in the morning and a light fog drifted through the streets of the sleepy port town. The docks were the only place with any activity, and she was a few streets back into the town.

She had arrived in Furinkan the night before, and decided to just buy a room for the night. The weather was nasty and she'd been riding most of the day. In her mind it was time to hit a few bars and start asking around about Ranma, in about three hours. It was as good a place to start as any. She was annoyed at those around her. "This had better be important. I'm not what you'd call a morning person."

"I'm afraid you've received orders." The men were wearing the rather flamboyant uniforms of the Royal navy. Red coats and tight fitting blue pants. With frills from every possible opening in the uniform. Even their socks had frills. Each of them was armed with a sword and stood at attention in neat rows on either side of their commanding officer. He was handing the knight a rolled up parchment.

She snatched it away and opened it. Her eyes grew wider as her frown deepened. "Who gave you this?"

"The magistrate." The man looked neither afraid nor disrespectful. "It has the Emperor's signature on it. I'm afraid it's quite real."

"I am not a sailor. You can't just draft passing knights into your ranks. I am hunting..."

"Aloha!"

The Knight stopped talking quite suddenly as the strangest thing she'd ever seen appeared behind the man she was speaking to. Her jaw hung open a little as the snowman bounced up and down and turned to look at her. "As of dis very moment, you be huntin da pirates!"

"Wha...?" If she wasn't mistaken, it had a tiny palm tree growing from it's head. Then it seemed to hit her. "Pirates? Are you joking? I don't have time for this foolishness!" She waved the parchment in his face for a moment. "Where is the man who wrote this. I'm going to speak with him so I can tell him to shove it up his..."

"You don't have that authority, Miss Knight." A small and sunny voice piped up from the other side of the officer. He was standing at attention and looking quite nervous.

Akane turned to glare at the new source of irritation for her. It was a young girl, also wearing a navy uniform. "Okay. I'm starting to see why you might need help with something as stupid as pirates."

"These aren't normal pirates, and we aren't taking you to crew the ship." The girl as she frowned and wagged her finger at her.

Akane was fuming mad. "What do you mean? Stop scolding me you child!"

"I'm not as young as I look." The girl's irises narrowed and Akane realized she wasn't looking at a human. "I'm Captain Hinako, of the battleship F-1!" She looked quite adorable as she put her fists up under her chin and almost squealed with cuteness.

The knight lowered her head and sighed. She glared at the girl without lifting her head up and spoke again. "What do you mean? What kind of pirates?"

"We not be believin in silly stories, Lil Wahinee. Dis bein regular pirates."

"Stories?" They had a bit more of her attention now.

"Yes. We're hunting the Queen of Pirates. Captain Scarlet herself, she's sailing in these waters once again. We received word last night."

"We should have left den!" cried the snowman.

The men around him swallowed and resisted the urge to take a step back.

"We wouldn't have had this knight with is if we had. It was better to wait, just like I told you!" The girl stuck her tongue out and pulled down her eyelid at the snowman.

"Captain Scarlet? This is just getting weird." The armored girl was getting frustrated and confused.

One of the sailing men who had gathered in the doorway to watch the exchange spoke up. He was glaring at her with one good eye and hiding behind the door frame of the inn as he spoke. It was as if he was afraid she'd appear and destroy him. "Captain Scarlet! She's a demon's what she is! She raids ships and leaves only pieces of crewmen in her wake! Her ship, the Scarlet Rose is crewed by demons. They burn entire towns in their wake, and leave but ravaged widows bodies in a grizzly pyre! Some says she's the bride of Davey Jones himself! His red-haired, blue-eyed, elven bride."

Akane Tendo stared back at the man with her jaw hanging a bit. She closed her mouth and glared at the snowman and his very small Captain. She dropped the parchment to the ground and glared at them both. "Let's go. You'd better be ready to sail after waking me up this way."

"Yeah. I be takin care o' dis one personally." The snowman started to frown as it gave the girls a dead coal eyed stare.

Akane noted that every sailor hand gone pale as a ghost, and the diminutive Captain looked very put off as well. A voice from behind forced the knights resolve.

"Wait! Unhand that maiden! Akane Tendo! Weep for joy, for your prince has arrived!"

Akane Tendo had grabbed the captain under her arm and snagged the snowman by his palm tree the moment she heard the voice. She was running at full sprint with the confused and alarmed sailors just behind them. "Which ship is it?"

"Um, the one at the other end of the docks, the last one..." The girl looked like she was getting jolted around a little.

"Great..." Akane didn't look pleased to hear that and pushed a little harder.

"Lady Akane!" Lime and Mint rushed up to them from behind keeping pace rather easily with the fleeing girl and her cargo.

"You should have woken us up!" said Lime as he rubbed at his eyes.

"Yeah. What's going on? What's Lord Kuno doing here?"

The girl heaved her two passengers onto the deck of the ship from where she was standing on the dock. A small palm tree and a frightened pair of child like eyes peered over the railing as she scrambled up the deck. The crew was just behind her. "Get us the hell out of here now!" The knight was holding her sword over her shoulder. The beast men landed on the deck just behind their new master.

"Is something wrong, Lady Akane?" Mint was trying his best to identify the threat that had alarmed his master so much.

"Right away!" Hinako jumped to her feet and saluted as she scurried up to the wheel and stood on the small wooden box that had been nailed in front of it. She started calling out orders to the panicked sailors.

Ukyo Kuonji awoke with a start. She was lying on a large pile of pillows with her spear resting on the ground next to her. She could see she was alone, not surprising since she was the last one awake besides Ranma. She was kind of surprised she couldn't see her in the room. The lights were all put out, and only a small crack in the curtains over the windows in the aft allowed any of the sun's brightness into the cabin.

She rubbed at her eyes and turned to look at the doors. She wasn't looking forward to going back out there with all the skeletons. She also didn't want to spend the entire voyage locked up in the cabin. She was a knight, and she had to go out and face it. She'd never seen undead, and it was damned unsettling. Ranma Saotome was looking worse and worse as time went by. She wasn't sure if she could trust him, or his partner. She felt bad about thinking about it, but she missed Ryoga a little. She wasn't even sure if she was being used herself or not.

"Great." She pushed herself to her feet and walked over to the door. She gripped the handle and stood there. "C'mon. You're getting rattled, cut it out. I'm a knight damn it." She pulled it open and stepped out onto the deck.

It was beautiful. The sky was clear, with only a few wispy clouds high in the air overhead. The sea stretched out in every direction. The crew worked around her, all looking quite healthy and alive. The ship looked better as well, still a little under kept, but seaworthy.

"Good morning." Ranma seemed almost sunny, but something cunning was lurking beneath her light tone.

She gasped and whirled around to see the elven redhead standing at the wheel with her eyes on the sea ahead. "It only looks that way at night. These men died long ago, now they sail for me."

"What is this? How did you get your hands on such an awful ship?" Ukyo looked horrified with him.

"Who hear among ye doesn't swear upon his mothers grave that he doesn't wish to be here sailin with Captain Scarlet, aboard the Scarlet Rose? The most feared pirates that 'er sails these seas?"

Ukyo jumped a little at the enthusiastic roar of the pirate crew. It seemed to cheer them up a little to voice it. "What in god's name?"

"Payment, for a job well done. We are for hire after all." Ranma kept her eyes on the horizon. "From one Captain David Jones himself."

"Davey Jones hired you?" She didn't look like she believed him.

"Yer, standin on the proof ain't ya?" She seemed to be enjoying the conversation.

"So. This is it then? This is what you've become? A thug for hire, pirate, and thief?" Ukyo had a sad look on her face as she hung her head a little.

The redhead gave her a miffed looking glance and snorted. "That about sums it up. Yeah."

"What about your name?" she turned away. "Does it still mean nothing to you?"

The redhead's lips turned down into a deep scowl and the knight could see her knuckles grow tighter as she gripped the wheel. "No. It means everything. I shall have my revenge against the ones who stole my life. All of them."

This took the knight by surprise and she whirled around to face the girl. She was steering the ship again, looking out into the horizon. Kuonji's lip turned up a little. "That's what you wanted with that knight isn't it? I don't think the emperor is the one you really want. It has something to do with that girl doesn't it?"

Ranma continued to sail and glanced over at her as if she'd just noticed she was still there. "I'm sorry, did you say something? I kind of sailed off for a moment."

"Fine." Ukyo turned and stomped away.

"Wonder what that was about?" Mousse was leaning against the railing watching the ocean go by. It was kind of nice, something big enough to see well in the light. His glasses were different though, now tinted almost black. It didn't help his focus much, but it would keep him from getting headaches. His only reason for suffering with it was gone now.

Shampoo was standing by the mast watching the undead go by. They all looked young and healthy, a strange thing in a zombie. "This is quite a ship."

"You shouldn't be so trusting." Her guardian seemed to be getting irritated with her.

"I don't see what the big deal is. His undead are rather healthy..." She was looking around at the crew, and you couldn't tell they were dead by looking.

"Do you realize what you just said?" He turned away and hit his fist against the railing. It wasn't hard enough to break it, but a few splinters broke loose under his knuckles.

"She's not evil." The princess turned up her nose and put her back to him.

"What would you know of it?" Mousse glared at her over his shoulder.

"More than you might think. She's so peaceful right now, I don't think this ship is making her act that way. It doesn't feel like that kind of place. I'm quite relaxed here."

"What do you mean?" It was obvious he was having trouble following her now. Strange, for one who had lived among elves so long.

"I'm safer here than I was in that tunnel with you Mousse. You remembered how to open that door, and I do not trust you." Her cheerful smile turned into a harsh looking glare as she eyed him and walked around to the other side of the mast.

Ranma seemed unaware of anything around her as she gazed off into the horizon. Ryuu was walking up next the uncomfortable looking Ukyo. She was leaning against the railing watching Mousse watch the water. Shampoo was leaning against the mast doing much the same as she looked past the knight into the horizon.

"Nice to see you've decided to join us." He seemed irate with his partner as he glared up at her for a moment.

"I've decided no such thing!" She turned her anger towards him, but backed off at the grin she got in response.

"Not quite what I meant. I can see you're still a bit upset..." He leaned against the railing just out of her reach beside her.

"This trip has been full of unexpected things." She glanced up at the redhead for a moment and frowned back at her first mate.

"You get a lot of that with us I'm afraid." He didn't look happy with his partner either, but no more than usual.

"So it would seem." She pursed her lips a bit and leveled her eyes on him for a moment.

"Look, it's not all bad. We'll have a nice quiet voyage..."

"Heh. She's catching up." Ranma glanced over her shoulder with a strange smirk on her face. "We'll be busy soon."

"Or not..." muttered Ryuu as he started grinding his teeth in frustration.

"What do you mean?" Ukyo pushed off the railing along with Mousse and Shampoo to look back at the captain as she steered.

"The Imperial Navy of course. Wouldn't be much of a pirating voyage without them would it?" Ranma seemed to think it was a good thing.

"Are you crazy? They'll..." She looked down at the ship under her and frowned. "What? You mean..."

"When things get to hot for us on land, we go to sea for a while. Pretty much do the same thing we always do." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders and walked through the now bustling undead sailors. They were pulling ropes and preparing the ship for combat.

"This is where things get interesting Kuonji." Ranma hopped down after waving one of the crewmen over to take the wheel.

"You've gone mad!" She backed away from her and almost stumbled over a few barrels. She caught herself on them and glared up at the pirate captain from under her hair. "I'm no pirate. I won't fight for you!"

"Neither are we," agreed Mousse. Shampoo was silent, but didn't look like she disagreed with him.

"Heh. You still don't understand. I've been fighting this war for years. Fortune has seen fit to give us the same enemy, and I intend to show them hell itself. Saffron may not be the one I want the most, but I will have my revenge none the less." She stomped back up to the wheel with a most intimidating glare. "Your country is at war with them as well, little more than a band of rebels yourselves anymore. We can cause quite a bit of damage to their supply line at sea, and that could aid your countrymen abroad." She looked down at Ukyo and found the girl staring at the deck with wide eyes.

"You..." Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find a response. "I can't..."

"I'm afraid you've got little choice at this point. They aren't the only ones gaining ground you know. We've almost caught our prey as well." Her eyes narrowed a little as she nodded towards the horizon.

The knight turned and could see nothing. It took her a moment to realize they'd been chasing something for some time now. It was what had the elven girl's attention, and she had a pretty good idea what it was. Saffron's people were waging war all over the main continent. The people of his kingdom were said to have wings, but supplies needed to be shipped in.

Ranma noticed the internal struggle and smirked a little. "Kuonji. Time to face facts. Fate has made us allies, when we should have been enemies. Whether or not you think I'm a good person is irrelevant right now. The question is, can you sail under the command of a pirate, or can't you?"

Kuonji nodded her head and turned to look out at the sea again. It wasn't something that made her feel much better, but she was right. "A pirate's life for me then."

Ranma nodded and grinned as her eyes locked onto the distant horizon then. "Heh. Yo ho."

One of the crew walked up and put his hand on her shoulder, it was cold, but comforting at the same time. "Beggin yer pardon, but pirate be a liberal term miss."

"I've heard stories, that you leave no survivors, and that this crew..." She shied away a little, but not enough to escape his hand.

"Be demons, aye. If there be no survivors, I wonder where them stories come from?" He chuckled and walked away to continue his duty. "All the towns we 'er been to still stand as well. Seems odd, since we burn em all to embers in our wake as well. Ne'r mind all the poor ravaged young girls we undead leave behind..." He smirked as she relaxed a bit.

On the distant horizon, she could see a tiny speck of white that she knew would soon grow into the sails of an Imperial ship. "I suppose you couldn't."

"Get her into the cabin drow, and stand guard on the door. I'm afraid the terms of our contract won't allow me to let her in on much of the fun. Best do it now, things are going to get rather busy up here."

Mousse looked about ready to attack her, but a glance around at the Pirate Queen's undead crew put a stop to it. "Come on."

"I'm glad that's settled then." Shampoo seemed rather pleased with that development.

"And me?" The knight frowned at the captain and shouldered her spear.

"For the honor of Joketzuko, and the fall of an Empire?" The redhead laughed and started barking orders to the crew.

Ukyo looked back and smirked a little despite herself. "A pirate, and a thief, I have to admit he's never been boring."

"Not in the time I've known him." Ryuu moved passed her and clapped her on the shoulder before moving away to fulfill his own duties.

She shook her head and looked out at the horizon once again. The sails were growing larger as they crept ever closer. "Yo ho, indeed." As much as she hated to admit it, she wouldn't be a knight anymore if Saffron won. Her country would no longer exist, and if she fulfilled her duty as she should, neither would she.

Akane Tendo stood on the deck of the F-1. It was an imperial warship with more than twenty five guns hidden away in the hull. Two smaller navy ships moved across the sea just behind them as fast as the wind would take them. Behind her, Lime and Mint stood silent guard, keeping Kuno at bay with little trouble. The recent demise of their master had shortened their temper a bit, and it didn't take much to convince him it would be better to come back later. She'd almost thrown him overboard more than once, but stopped after she'd been told they'd have to circle back and get him. It was a delay she couldn't afford. Her mind was busy working over her problem and her prey. Sitting beside her was the Kuno's sister, and she was humming a song to herself as she watched the sea. The child was steering the boat, and the snowman had vanished into the captain's quarters. After several minutes of silence, the black knight spoke up. "What do you want?" The pair had been on horseback, and despite her efforts, the ship was unable to leave port fast enough. Hinako had told her she didn't have the authority to deny either of them access to the ship. So long as it didn't interfere with official orders.

"I'm not certain yet. You've made an enemy of your sister. I might be useful, if you are that is." The Lady, Kodachi Kuno, pulled out a fan and hid her face behind it as she glanced over at her.

Akane smirked at the girl and crossed her arms as she turned around and sat on the railing. "It's none of your business. Stay the hell out of my family..."

"Do you think me a fool? I know what it is you face more than you do. Nabiki Tendo's web will entangle her sooner or later. Do you fault me for wanting to tie the strings a little tighter and help her along to her end? I admit don't care for you. You are a bit...gruff, but we may be useful to each other."

"I can deal with my own family matters, keep to yourself witch."

"I am a sorceress, your sister is a witch. See that you..."

"I haven't forgotten, and I see little difference." She returned the girl's angry stare with a calm frown and walked away from her.

"Ugh. Horrid brute." Kodachi was flustered and fanned herself for a few moments as she turned away.

Kuno was on the move as soon as she was clear of her two guardians. "My love! It is time for you to come into my arms and gaze into the deep blue ocean of my..."

His head hit the mast hard enough to crack the wood as her fist came up and nailed him in the face. "Don't speak to me again." Lime and Mint both looked down a his crumpled form and shook their heads in unison as they followed after her.

"Ship ahoy! Off the starboard bow! Men overboard!" The man in the crow's nest at the top of the mast called out. "Pirates!"

Akane turned her head and gasped as she saw the plume of smoke rising into the air. She rushed up the stairs to where the captain was standing and took the looking glass from her.

"Hey! That's mine!" Captain Hinako jumped up and down and waved her arms trying to grab it back from the taller girl as she looked out at the distant smoke.

"Ignore them and send word for the E-2 or F-3 to pick them up. I'll not get bogged down rescuing survivors in our wake." She could see debris from a sunken ship, and enough longboats to account for the entire crew. "Seems most survived. Most fortunate..."

"Not really, it's usually like this when we chase after the Scarlet Rose." The young captain smiled as the knight handed her back the telescope. "She's gonna make a mess of our shipping routes. It's a real pain."

Akane nodded and walked back down to the lower deck without a word. "We'll catch up sooner or later."

"Are you sure?" Kodachi smirked at her from behind her fan as she passed.

"Yes." The knight continued to walk towards the hold. "Lime, Mint, I'm going to sleep. See to it I'm not bothered." She looked down at the recovering Kuno for a moment before disappearing below deck.

Both of them nodded and followed after her.

It didn't take Kuno long after he'd recovered to start searching the ship for his beloved again.

Lime and Mint weren't much in the mood to deal with him when he arrived.

"Stand aside crewmen! I have come to visit Lady Akane! She no doubt expects..."

"She expects no one." Mint shifted into his more animal form and growled at him.

Lime did the same and drooled a little on the young lord's foot as he bared his fangs. "We are Lady Akane's servants, not crewmen, and we'll allow no man to pass."

Mint raked his claws into the hull of the ship and peeled shavings away as he dragged his paw back. He was growling and eying the boy with a disturbing and hungry look about him. "We aren't in a very good mood, it's best not to tempt us. I doubt Lady Akane would be very upset if we made a meal of you."

Akane was lying in a hammock behind them reading a book to help her doze off. She was ignoring the situation and seemed to be falling asleep.

Kuno stormed out onto the deck and pointed his finger at the small captain. "You there! I demand to speak with the man in charge of this ship at once!"

Hinako looked a bit irate, but cheered up as she seemed to remember something and hopped down to the lower deck with the angry lord. "Are you sure?"

Kuno was to dumb to notice the looks of absolute horror that surrounded him. Men were diving for cover and hiding behind anything they could. "I must speak to him about some of his unruly crewmen. They bar my path to my true beloved, so that we might lie together this very night!"

"Ugh." Hinako looked rather ill. "I doubt any human would enjoy it. If you insist though." She turned and looked at the doors to the captain's cabin. They promptly burst open.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Captain, what bein de problem?" The man looked ridiculous, he had on a huge pair of tinted glasses, shorts, and a loud, loose fitting, button up, shirt. He was sipping on something inside a coconut half and had a palm tree growing from his hair. Several strings of exotic flowers hung from around his neck as he looked around the deck. "What bein de problem?"

Kuno looked up at him and puffed out his chest. "Those beast-men you keep on your crew are..."

"We don't have any beast men on our crew. They belong to Lady Akane. Not much we can do."

"Not true Lil Wahinee! Magistrate Kuno be makin it all bedda!" The man looked quite proud of himself.

"Very good. I expect this shall be taken care of post haste then? I do not wish to be delayed any longer!" Kuno was quite pleased with the way things had turned out.

"First, we be shavin dis one's head, den we be givin de bowl cut to de captain!" The magistrate laughed again and pulled out a pair of barber's sheers. "Den we be feelin all bedda!"

It was right at that moment, that a horrible realization dawned upon Tatewakii Kuno. Every single man standing around him was dead bald. "What!"

"Not this again..." Hinako seemed more annoyed than anything else and stepped back to prepare for action.

TBC...

Hey. I finished something! 


	23. Chapter 23

The Dragon Ghost

Part 23

...And a bottle of rum.

OooOOooOO

Ukyo Kuonji frowned as she cleaved a man in two with her massive spear. The smell of gunpowder and the battle cry of the men around her, the adrenalin rush. The feeling was familiar, the world around her was blurred and unfocused, a haze had set in around her perception. She was focused on cleaving the central mast of the Imperial Merchant ship she was standing on at the base. Her spear wasn't stopped by the three sailors defending their ship standing in the way. The undead pirates around her fighting the others back with much fewer casualties. They seemed to be surrounding them into controllable groups with swords and pikes. The resistance dried up the moment the three crewmen fell in half at the waist in her wake.

The knight did not care. Ranma Saotome, scoundrel, pirate, and thief, was correct. She was at war with the Empire, along with what remained of her country. The mast fell away from her and into the sea, ruining the starboard side of the ship in the process. A group of undead pirates forced the last of the men out from below and onto the deck of the ship. The crew began to drop their weapons and glare at the pirates surrounding them in a sort of horrified terror. The undead were pretty banged up and looked quite horrific. A few still had various weapons poking from their bodies and heads. One of them plucked an axe from his skull and looked at it in irritation before tossing it aside. A severed head was calling to it's body near to the fallen mast.

"Ere ya daft bastard!" called the unfortunate pirate. One of the crew men walked over and handed the body it's head as he passed by. They had control and the battle was won.

Ryuu came up from the hull with a fuse gripped in his fist. He lit it and nodded to his companions. "See here! You'd best be abandoning this ship now. That fuse goes to your powder, and I suggest manning the longboats and rowing as far as yer arms 'll allow! Off with ya!"

Ukyo took her cue and used one of the Scarlet Rose's lines to swing back aboard the ship. She landed on the deck with relative ease. Ranma was still female, even warm water was ineffective at sea. The red haired elven girl was watching the scene below with an unnerving smirk. She was rubbing at her chin and had a greedy look in her eyes.

"What are you on about? Weirdest pirate crew I've ever seen. You just sink the ships, you've never taken anything." She seemed to be making conversation more than anything else.

"Everything aboard those ships is mine." Ranma turned to look at her and chuckled as she slapped her shoulder. "This ain't a normal ship love. The sea holds it for me, if I ever need it, just appears on the ship. Davey gets to keep whatever I don't use in my lifetime. He can't ever kill me either."

"Davey Jones?" Ukyo sighed and leaned against the railing with a smirk of her own. "This ship is quite a prize then."

"Aye, it wasn't an easy job." The redhead rolled her eyes and turned away to face the wheel.

"What do you mean?" Ukyo seemed interested. The pirates had all returned to the ship after forcing the crew into the long boats. A few had to swim for it, but only ten lighter than a full crew survived. Most of the kills belonged to the knight.

"Have you ever tried to catch a Kraken?" She looked over at Ukyo for a moment from the corner of her eyes as she started towards the wheel to get ready to move on.

"I'm sorry I asked." She wasn't sure if she could trust her on that.

The merchant ship started to move away from them as they sailed off, the fuse was pretty long, so they had time to get a fair distance away. It was part of the reason they forced them to abandon ship before they left. "I love this part." Ranma seemed quite pleased as she looked out at the ship as it moved farther and farther away.

Ukyo grabbed her chin and kissed her full on the lips just as the ship exploded into a spectacular ball of flames. Ranma was frozen and felt Ukyo's tongue in her mouth for a moment before the girl broke the kiss and smiled at her. "You called me 'love'." She walked away with a little bit of a skip in her step and went into the cabin.

Ranma stood looking a little slack jawed for a long moment. She stood upright and popped her back. All the pirates were staring at her. "What are you all lookin at? Back to work!" She stomped her way up to the wheel and locked her eyes forward to the horizon. "Have to remember not to say that again."

Ryuu had moved up behind her and chuckled. "Wasn't that bad was it?"

"Funny what wars can make you forget, and what peace can make you remember." The redhead glanced back for a moment and looked pretty irate with him.

"Good point." The swordsman shrugged. "She's taking to her job with a little too much zeal if you ask me."

"Let her enjoy her war." Ranma seemed uninterested in the matter. "She'll be fine, and she's seeing things our way. That's all that matters to me right now. We have plenty of time for this to turn into a real mess before we get there."

"Wonder what it'll be this time?" Ryuu seemed resigned to his fate at this point and seemed to be taking it easy as usual. He glanced over at Ranma and noticed a frown on her lips. "What the hell are you so upset about?"

Ranma cocked her head a little and kept her eyes forward. "I missed my boom."

"I'm sure you'll have lots more." The swordsman sighed and shook his head.

Shampoo and Mousse emerged from the cabin with the knight. They seemed to be relieved for the fresh air and sunlight. Well, Mousse seemed to be enjoying the air anyway. He was shielding his eyes with his hand and hadn't been sleeping much. Ranma had decided to give him a night watch for obvious reasons. Her undead were capable, but Mousse could still see things in the darkness much better. He was grumpy and irritable.

Shampoo was glaring at Ukyo, but not Ranma. "What did you do? You're in too good a mood!"

"None of your business." The knight seemed to be pleased with annoying the elven girl.

The sun was beginning to grow closer to the ocean and was starting to take on an orange hue. One of the moons appeared in the distant horizon on the ships port side as well. The redhead was watching this scene while leaning against the wheel, it was impressive to say the least.

Shampoo was looking at her with an unreadable stare. "There it is again."

Ukyo noticed this and started to look irate. "What do you mean?"

"I don't understand how, or why though. Ranma's connection with nature is very strong. Almost as if he has lived among us for centuries. He will not grow old with you, and he will not join you in the next life for eons, even if you win him."

The knight flashed an angry looking frown at her. "I should take my chance while I have it then."

"You know you cannot keep him." Ukyo's gaze moved past Shampoo and over to Mousse. He was fuming mad and glaring daggers at the captain.

"I'd watch how I was looking at the captain if I was you." Ukyo called over to him and ignored the elven girl's words. "His crew might not like it much." She walked over and picked up a bottle from one of the crates on the ship. She pried out the cork with her teeth and took a few gulps before belching. She looked rather refreshed and relieved more than anything. "This wasn't so bad after all."

Ranma nodded her head and pulled a bottle from a small box at the wheel of the ship. "She's right, it's time for the rum."

Ryuu shrugged and gave a small salute. "Aye!" He strolled down to fetch a few more bottles from the cabin. It only took a moment and he came out with a crate under his arm. He shoved a bottle into Mousse and Shampoo's arms as he went by and sat down by the railing before taking one of his own.

Ukyo was already feeling hers as she walked back towards the stairs to the aft deck and plopped down singing to herself. " ...Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate's life for me! We're rascals, scoundrels, villains, and knaves! Drink up, me hearties, yo ho! We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs. Drink up, me hearties, yo ho! Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me! We're beggars and blighters, ne'er-do-well cads Drink up, me hearties, yo ho. Aye, but we're loved by our mommies and dads. Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!"

OooOOooOO

It was a sunny windy day on the ocean as Ranma's ship continued to cut through the sea. It had been an eventful day, and two ships had been raided and destroyed in a few hours time.

"Mr. Kumon, run the colors. It's time to fall a bit behind. Heh." The redhead spun the wheel a bit.

The swordsman frowned and gripped the railing. "Are you sure? Setting her loose on a ship full of sailors and marines might not be a good idea."

"It's better than setting her loose on three of them. Those escorts will return shortly once they've picked up those crews we just left behind. Finding them both so close to each other was good fortune, and we shouldn't waist it. Unless a storm brews, we won't lose them for long. They'll be able to figure out where to start looking for us if we don't lose them soon." Ranma smirked and glanced over her shoulder. "Bring up the guns. She's catching up."

OooOOooOO

"It's the Scarlet rose!" The imperial fleet warship F-1 bustled with life. Hinako stood beside Captain Kuno at the wheel. He didn't seem to notice his crew getting battle ready.

Akane was standing at the front of the ship with Lime and Mint on either side of her. "Clever."

Kuno was behind her and to her right, looking through a telescope. "She waited until we were alone. She was counting on our escorts being occupied." He looked at her as though he thought she might be impressed.

"Everybody knows that dolt. You didn't have to say it out loud." Akane just snorted and didn't bother looking back at him as she gripped the railing and leaned towards the red sails in the distance. "Arrogant bitch. You can see those sails for miles."

"Yes. It frightens the boys I'm afraid. The sailing men are all terrified of her. She usually picks Imperial targets. I've heard about this one. I always thought it might be a story." Kodachi walked up behind the scene with a smile on her face. "She's quite the terrible person I understand. I can't wait to meet her." She looked more like she was anticipating a new friend than pirate hunting.

"I suppose we can handle them then." Akane nodded to herself and smiled.

OooOOooOO

Ranma was tapping the wheel on her ship with a frown on her face. She brushed her hair out of her face and turned it a bit. "I'm not sure I like this. She's noticed us, but she seems more interested in engaging us than firing. She's coming up too fast."

Ukyo was pacing on the deck with her arms crossed. She looked up and nodded her head. "Good."

"We can handle it." Ryuu gave a small shrug.

"What about Shampoo?" Mousse got kicked in the face by his beloved as soon as he'd finished saying it.

"I'm afraid he's right. I'm not so sure I want to engage a ship loaded with Marines with something of value on board. I need you to finish the job. I was planning on disabling her, taking out her mast at a distance and leaving her floating. We'd be able to lose them long enough to make port under the radar. We don't want them looking for us when we get there do we?" Ranma was frustrated and tapping her fingers along the wheel as she looked back at the ship over her shoulder.

"We need to lose them, and it looks like they're picking a fight. Not much we can do. It looks like she's planning on running her up our ass if she can. Then need to stop giving that kid so much sugar." Ryuu was leaning on the railing with a smirk on his face.

"You know where to take her. It would be more dangerous to let them figure out where we're headed. I hope you're prepared to face marines knight. This is a bit different than those supply ships we've been raiding."

"I can do it on the ground, and I've had no trouble adjusting to the sea so far." Ukyo seemed a bit annoyed the redhead had even brought it up.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to say I never warned you." Ranma shrugged, she seemed to have calmed.

OooOOooOO

Ranma was standing along the railing with a rope in her hand. She had a sword, and a smirk on her face. Half her crew was waiting along with her. The rest, and one impatient looking knight waited for the ropes to return on the deck.

The Imperial ship had boarding planks ready and the deck was loaded with Marines. "Hello Lil Wahinee!"

"You brat! I'm gonna punish you at last!" Hinako was beside him leaning over the railing and shouting at the redhead.

"Wait for it..." Ranma was more interested in how close the other ship was, they were pulling up along side them still. "Now!"

The redhead and her crew swung across the gap.

"Fiyah!" Kuno cried out as soon as she was halfway through her swing.

Ranma was feeling a bit panicked as she was expecting an order to defend the deck. Instead, the cannons blew the gun deck doors off their own hinges and into the side of the Scarlet rose. The undead crewmen with Ranma bounced off an invisible wall on the deck and splashed into the water. She kicked her legs to try and move her momentum the other way. A large sword passed over her head and through her line, she almost thought she was going to clear the ship, but everything went black.

Akane snorted as she rushed over to pull her sword out of the mast. The Captain spun the wheel of the ship away from the pirate ship.

"What the hell is going on?" Ukyo was gripping the railing and propping herself up after falling on the deck after the explosion.

"A trap!" Ryuu spun the ship away from the Imperial ship. The undead crew was still climbing back onto the sides of the ship, as it lurched to the side and away.

"What are you doing?" Ryuu pointed to the left and right. "That ship is warded, the crew can't get on. If you look to your left and right, you'll see two more, admittedly smaller, imperial warships closing in on us. "We're in a bit of a pinch right now."

"What about Ranma?" Ukyo was enraged and glaring up at him.

"He'll be fine. This isn't the first time something like this has happened you know. It's what we do. If one of us falls behind, we finish the job, then worry about sorting it all out. You really wouldn't know it, but I've been trying to kill him for years." Ryuu had a wistful smile on his face.

"Might get 'em this time. Eh?" One of the crew gave a good natured grin as he walked by the conversation. None of the undead appeared very worried.

"You're just going to abandon him?!" Ukyo was looking around in bewildered horror. "He's your captain!"

One of the crew walked up and gripped her shoulder. She found it a little unsettling. It was made a bit worse by what he said.

"Captains orders. We finish the job. Don't worry, once we get you where you're goin. We'll go and get her, she likes to leave a mess."

"That's almost a week and a half!" Ukyo felt very numb.

"She'll be fine." Ryuu gave a small shrug. "I'm not that lucky."

"What?" The knight clutched at her chest and took a step back.

"Look. In case you haven't noticed, neither one of us is particularly concerned with the health and well being of the other. I can't kill him." The acting Captain seemed quite cheerful for a moment. His face fell a bit. "Great. I'm stuck with the mob again."

"Why would you want to kill..."

"Well, I met Ranma when he set me up to take a fall in a couple of his early robberies. He looked like our good Captain at the time. I'd been looking for him for years. His father gave my family something that destroyed it. After that, there were a few sorted attempts to kill him. I did a bit of mercenary work. Tried to kill him again, you know how it goes."

The girl looked both enthralled and horrified by the story.

"Anyway, during one of our fights at a robbery on some evil wizard's lair. I pushed him into a really mean looking porthole. He dragged me in too, and we found ourselves at a dead end on a long roadway paved with black stones. There was only one way to go, and only one of us was going to make it."

Shampoo and Mousse had both come out of the cabin near the start of the story. None of them seemed to notice the distant pop and occasional splash as they all seemed interested.

"Anyway. We both tried a bunch of times to murder each other along the way. It was some sort of trial for evil wizards. You're supposed to take a rival along and kill him along the way. The winner gets some sort of power boost."

"You've walked the black road?" Mousse and Shampoo were both standing with slacked jaws.

"Yeah. It took two weeks to walk, it covers half of Morrid, and it's one way. It sucked quite a bit. Anyway, we got to the end, and neither one of us was dead. Ever since..." Ryuu was almost hanging over the wheel and looking a bit depressed. "Well, I can't kill him."

"What?" Shampoo and Mousse spoke together. The elven girl continued. "That's impossible! Only one person ever comes off the black road. No matter how many go in!"

"What are you talking about?" Ukyo was enraged, but still stationary. She spun around on her leg glaring at everyone.

"It's a kind of a gamble for dark wizards. If you walk down the black road with someone and kill them along the way, you'll gain their power. It's a long and arduous journey. Most who kill their rival too soon don't make it to the other end themselves. There are a lot of dangerous things, and nasty traps along the way." Mousse nodded and turned his eyes to the ground.

Shampoo seemed to realize all at once that something was out of place, and the Knight's condition was what had clued her in. "Wait a minute! Where's Ranma?"

"Well out of our reach. She can't kill me either you know. We're cursed." Ryuu seemed pleased with himself for distracting them long enough to make his escape.

The elven girl's features fell. "What?"

OooOOooOO

"So, we meet again." Akane Tendo leaned in towards her prisoner. She was chained to the back of a cell. The black knight was inside it, staring down at her with a smirk on her face.

Ranma didn't look very intimidated she was playing with her chains and smiling up at the knight. She was a bit worn, most of the voyage back had been a beating of some sort or another. She'd blacked out a few times, but woke up in her new cell in the end. It was late night, and Akane was her first visitor. She had just woken up and had enough time to realize she was pinned with enchanted chains before the angry looking girl had shown up. "So we have."

"You've got quite the hobby." Akane lifted her nose and continued to enjoy having the redheaded bitch under her control at last. "We could talk about that and what will happen to you because of it for hours. I think you already know all about that though."

"We've made port have we? Mind letting me in on what rat infested hole I've found myself in? Quite charming." Ranma looked like she was wasn't trying to pay attention much.

"You've got a personal vendetta. I want to know what the hell is going on." The metal fingers of Akane's gauntlets clamped down on the elven girl's pale cheeks.

"You're not strong enough to break my bones with those fingers human. Why should I tell you anything. Do you think you could let the answers die with me? I'm in no position to give you any information at the moment. There's not really anything in it for me."

"I doubt I'll have trouble persuading the Empire to ask for me." The girl gave her a wild eyed stare. "I could probably get them to let me do it myself. I think I might. In fact, maybe I should take a little something now?" The short haired knight drew a knife and let the blade rest on the redhead's ear.

Ranma blinked, Akane had stiffened up and fallen forward on her face into her lap. The redhead looked down at the back of her head in surprise as the Weretiger behind the knight dropped the wooden club in his hand.

"Can you steal us a ship?" The Werewolf was unlocking her chains.

"What the?" She was looking at them both with wide eyes.

"Our Loyalty is to Lord Herb. Saffron killed him, and foolishly believed our loyalty was now his. Lady Akane has always been kind to us, we do not wished to see her harmed. However, we know more of your past than you realize. Lord Herb knew of the curse on those springs. He aided you to subvert his unwanted Master."

"What? You think I'm stupid enough to set sail alone on a ship with two beast men? Do you think I'm retarded?" The elven girl looked grateful, but backed up with her hands up.

"If you speak of 'the monthlies' we were born, not made." Mint frowned at her and crossed his arms.

"Well, I admit I feel a little better, but not much better. If we're at a port, I can steal a ship. I see no reason to subject myself to weeks of you two alone with me though. I'm grateful, but I know how your kind has trouble resisting impulses. Stop staring at my breast. You're not helping your case." She looked a little banged up and was sizing the pair up. She kicked Akane in the ribs on the ground and both creatures growled a little and put their ears back. "What? She's not dead. Don't worry so much. Come on. If she wakes up, we will have to kill her."

"This way. We can get you to the docks without being seen." Lime waved and looked around in confusion. "I know you're still here. I can smell you."

"Good, you should have no trouble leading the way."

Both beast men grumbled a bit and left the room.

"The flagship is lightly guarded. Celebrations and all, you're quite a catch." Mint smirked.

"No. Small and fast, unless you two think you can man all those guns." The redhead seemed a bit annoyed with the both of them. "I'm still not sure this is such a good idea. I feel I should remind you, that while I have no Silver, I am aware I can use magic to kill you. Also that it would take quite a bit. I've got nothing against blasting you if you step out of line. I'd pretty much have to incinerate you to kill you."

Lime seemed irate. "We will help you on one condition. You cannot harm Lady Akane. We already know you're after the Emperor's Staff again. We have no intention of allowing him to become a God."

"I'll tell you what. Since she is trying to kill me, or at least she certainly will after this, I'll not kill her unless it's the only way for me not to die. How does that sound?" The redhead appeared before them in the darkness. They were in a long unlit hallway, both beast men were surprised to see glowing eyes staring back at them. It was obvious she could see them both even in the pitch black.

"Whoa. Creepy." Mint shuddered a bit.

"Well, I suppose." Lime grumbled a little.

"Well, you've got to take this seriously. It's a contract. As long as I don't kill her, without dire need, which may or may not happen while you're around, you've got to control yourselves around me and my crew." The redhead had a pen and scroll in her hand and was holding it up to them.

"You're kidding?" Lime frowned and tapped his claws on the stone floor.

"We've got to sign something? Man, I hate writing." Mint looked a bit saddened.

"Shut up and do it. I'm aware the added incentive of a contract can curb your impulses quite a bit. Most curses are like that." Lime was already writing an X on the paper as the elven girl gave him a small frown.

"It's not a curse! I was born this way!" Mint looked irate as he waited behind him.

"It is, not everyone hates their curse. Mine is pretty useful." The redhead shrugged and looked at him.

"Oh, when you put it that way." The weretiger shrugged and signed his name as well.

OooOOooOO

Akane Tendo sat up and rubbed at the lump in the back of her skull. Her temples were throbbing and her eyes bloodshot as she pushed herself off the floor and onto her knees. "Ouch, what the...oh no." The empty chains were swinging in front of her face. Then she remembered who she had been in the room with. "What? How did?"

OooOOooOO

Good Fang the Dwarf let out a loud belch. He thumped at his chest while scratching his rear as he put his helmet back on after half stumbling out of a pub along the port. "Now, where's that bastard what stabbed me in the back?" He grinned as a tall and familiar figure standing amidst a crowd of Marines about twenty yards away started walking up towards the deck of one of the smaller ships. "Well now. Ain't that nice? I'll have to stop and say hello!" He tugged at the handles on his axe and war hammer as he started towards the scene trying to decide which one to use. He wanted to give him a hearty dwarven hello.

He jumped up and roared as he hefted his axe and awaited combat with the marines on board the unfortunate man's ship.

What he found was an elven girl and to beast men. They were looking at him with wide eyes.

The dwarf looked surprised. "Eh? Yer not."

"I didn't know dwarves could jump that high." The werewolf looked impressed with the diminutive creature. He had jumped up behind the wheel of the ship as it was leaving port.

"What the? What the hell do you want? I paid you!" Ranma looked annoyed.

"Drat! He got away!" Ryoga stomped his foot. He didn't notice the spears landing on the back of the ship behind him, sticking into the wood as the ship moved out of range. "Just drop me of 'ere and..."

"That's not a very good idea. They're quite angry with me for stealing this ship, and I think they might take it out on you if I did." Ranma shrugged and looked out at the skyline. "I suppose we're stuck with you for now."

"What? I've got to rip that idiot Lord Kuno's head off and suck his brain out the hole in his skull!" Ryoga grabbed at his weapons but didn't draw them as he got an angry look in his eyes.

"Well, if he's on one of those ships, he'll be along. I've got to get back to the Rose and her crew. I'm under contract right now, and I've got a job to do. It seems we've become useful to each other. An extra hand on the ship won't hurt, especially with a Dwarven back behind it." Ranma looked somewhat serious as she nodded towards the horizon. "I don't suppose you'd mind a bit of piracy much."

All four of them turned and looked behind them. A drenched figure in black drew a short sword from her side as she stumbled over the rear of the ship onto the side of her back. She was gasping for breath and glaring at them all as she staggered to her feet and pointed her sword forward.

"Uh oh." Lime and Mint said at the same time.

"Stop right there!" Akane Tendo looked very angry.

Ranma and Ryoga burst into laughter. The redhead kicked out in a sharp fast kick and the Black Knight's sword was lodged into the deck. Lime and Mint had her by the arms and held her in place.

Ranma walked up with a grin on her face. Her eyes weren't very nice at all though. She had her hands behind her back. "Welcome aboard Fiancee. Nice of you to join us."

"What the hell are you two doing?" Akane struggled a bit, but knew better than to put too much effort into it.

"We are Lord Herb's servants." Mint looked down at her. "We do not wish to harm you. Saffron must suffer for what he has done to our king."

"Your kind will be destroyed!" Akane tried to reason with them. "Don't tell me you're going against..."

"Then we will join our king." Lime nodded. Their hold was firm but gentle. "We do not wish to harm you, but we cannot give you our loyalty. Our lives belong to the Musk, and the will of our king. He would see your master destroyed."

"I'm out to annoy your boss too. We're on the same side now. Isn't that nice?" Ranma looked away from the frustrated knight and up at the beast men. "Confine her. We'll have her cleaning the decks tomorrow. She's too dangerous for important duties. We'll have her shine this ship from top to bottom while we're away. Make it pretty for when they find it after I get my ship back."

OooOOooOO

TBC...


End file.
